Reports by the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, have it that over 13 countries have signaled official intent to employ Ghanaian healthcare workers.

Mr Mintah Akandoh says the government is developing a policy framework to moderate the increasing international demand while safeguarding the country’s health sector.

During the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House on Friday, July 18, Mr Akandoh labeled the move as a “managed migration opportunity” and stressed that Ghana’s approach will ensure that any overseas recruitment directly benefits both the national health system and the professionals involved.

“We are formulating policies to ensure these benefits are fairly distributed to both our health system and our professionals,” the minister said.

The sector minister mentioned that while there is increased demand for Ghanaian health workers abroad, the government is at the same time prioritizing skills enhancement and well-being locally.

He highlighted a number of domestic measures aimed at empowering Ghana’s health workforce, which involve paying off salary arrears for 321 pharmacist house officers who completed training in 2024, as well as focusing on the recruitment of 1,621 qualified pharmacists currently awaiting permanent employment.

“This is just one example of our broader commitment to clearing the backlog across all health worker cadres,” he said.

“We want every qualified professional to have the chance to serve and strengthen Ghana’s health system.”

In line with broader reforms, the minister disclosed that the government has finalized conditions of service agreements with health unions and is updating training curricula to reflect the country's health needs.

He added that specialist nursing courses are being scaled up, while general nursing schools are being transformed into centers for specialised instruction.

“These steps are crucial to ensuring a motivated and skilled workforce capable of meeting the changing health needs of our population,” Mr Akandoh added.