Government to regulate health worker migration amid rising unemployment – Health Minister

The Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has hinted at plans to regulate the migration of health workers as part of efforts to address the growing crisis in the country’s healthcare workforce.

He expressed deep concern over the increasing number of trained but unemployed health professionals, describing the situation as a ticking time bomb that poses a significant threat to the healthcare system.

Despite the country’s desire to absorb a maximum number of health professionals, he noted that the current economic constraints make it impossible to employ all of them.

“The truth of the matter is that our economic situation cannot allow us to employ all of them that is the reality on the ground.
And so the question is how then do we solve the situation? We need to think outside the box because if you leave them at home it’s a timing bomb we can also not absorb them,” he noted.

According to the minister, the challenge lies not only in the limited capacity to employ new professionals but also in the high rate of attrition as many health workers leave the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

This, he said, requires urgent and innovative solutions to prevent further deterioration of the health sector.

The government, he noted, must take decisive action to develop a sustainable approach that ensures the retention of health professionals while managing the migration trends in a way that benefits both the individuals and the nation.