The Ministry of Health says it has recruited 6,245 nurses and midwives out of 6,500 available slots under a nationwide exercise aimed at strengthening primary healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved communities.

The recruitment forms part of a broader government initiative to expand access to free primary healthcare, with newly deployed personnel expected to address critical staffing gaps in health facilities across the country.

Overall, the ministry says it received financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance to recruit about 8,000 health professionals, as it works through a backlog of an estimated 105,000 unemployed but qualified health workers nationwide.

In addition to nurses and midwives, the exercise also saw the recruitment of 771 out of 900 allied health professionals, 235 out of 250 pharmacy professionals, and 300 physician assistants.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, the Director of Human Resources at the Ministry of Health, Frederick Mensah-Acheampong, said the process remained highly competitive due to the large number of qualified applicants.

He noted that about 87 nursing vacancies in northern districts remain unfilled, but said the exercise had significantly progressed in line with government’s primary healthcare policy.

“We have received financial clearance to recruit about 8,000 health professionals from the Ministry of Finance. The Ministry acknowledges the anxiety and interest these recruitment exercises have generated, particularly given the backlog of about 105,000 unemployed health professionals, some of whom have been awaiting recruitment since 2018 and 2019,” he said.

He added that a mop-up exercise would be conducted in the coming weeks to absorb eligible applicants who were unable to complete the process.

The recruitment drive is part of efforts to strengthen preventive care, community-based services, and improve access to essential healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved areas.