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The Ministry of Health is urging the government to adopt a bold, proactive approach to facilitate the migration of Ghanaian health professionals, in a bid to address rising unemployment and ensure the safety and welfare of workers abroad.
Speaking at a National Policy Dialogue on the Health Workforce, organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the country’s economic situation makes it impossible to employ all trained health professionals.
He stressed that even if the sector were fully staffed, many qualified workers would still be left jobless.
“This is more than a worrying situation—it’s a ticking time bomb,” the Akandoh said. “We need to reflect on the realities on the ground. If we continue to discuss our challenges as if we live in an ideal situation, we will never find the right solutions.”
He explained that the health sector is already struggling with high attrition rates due to the migration of professionals seeking better opportunities abroad.
While acknowledging that government alone cannot absorb all trained health workers, he said efforts must be made to manage the outflow more strategically.
To this end, Akandoh proposed that the government enter into bilateral agreements with foreign countries to ensure structured and monitored migration processes.
“Whether we like it or not, health professionals will continue to leave the country. If government gets involved in facilitating their migration through state-to-state agreements, it can monitor their welfare and ensure they’re treated fairly wherever they go,” he added.
He also noted that while public sector employment in health remains more lucrative than private sector work, Ghana must think beyond traditional models and develop innovative, long-term solutions to address the unemployment challenge.
Report by Elizabeth Akyemaa Yeboah for Asaase News in Greater Accra
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