The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced that 80 percent of the 700 junior medical doctors currently being processed for posting will be assigned to district facilities across the country.
He explained that the move is part of efforts to address the uneven distribution of medical personnel, as many doctors prefer to work in urban areas such as the Greater Accra Region, leaving rural and underserved communities without adequate healthcare services.
Speaking during a meeting at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) on Wednesday, November 5, Mr. Akandoh described the decision as tough but necessary to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all citizens.
“We have started posting junior doctors, and we are doing not less than 700 of them this year. The process is ongoing. We are determined to post not less than 80 percent of this 700 to the districts. It is not an easy decision, but it is a necessary one,” he said.
The Minister further highlighted that a majority of doctors are concentrated in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, resulting in significant disparities within the healthcare system. He noted that consultations are underway to implement a fair redistribution of medical officers nationwide.
“Accra and Kumasi are choked. We are engaging stakeholders to ensure a fair redistribution of doctors across the country. It is a tough decision, but we welcome all suggestions and opinions,” Mr. Akandoh emphasized.
In a related development, the Health Minister donated three anaesthetic machines to the UGMC and directed their immediate installation to enhance patient care and service delivery at the facility.
