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Story by, Paul Mensah Nsor
The National Health Students’ Association of Ghana (NAHSAG) has criticized the Ministry of Health’s ongoing recruitment of 8,000 health workers, describing the exercise as inadequate and unfair and warning that it is fueling frustration among more than 105,000 unemployed health graduates.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, 18 May 2026, NAHSAG said the current financial clearance covers less than 8% of the backlog of qualified but unemployed professionals, some of whom have been waiting since 2018.
“The question therefore remains: What becomes of the remaining thousands of qualified professionals who have patiently waited for years with hopes of serving their nation?” the Association asked. “How long must trained healthcare professionals continue to sit at home while hospitals and health facilities across the country continue to grapple with workforce shortages?”
The Association also raised concerns about the recruitment portal, citing technical failures, inaccessible slots, and abrupt shutdowns that locked many applicants out within minutes of opening.
“Must the future of a qualified health professional depend on internet speed, geographical location, or technological luck?” the statement read. “Recruitment into Ghana’s health sector must never resemble a digital survival contest.”
NAHSAG called for a more transparent, predictable, and technologically reliable system. It proposed that future recruitment prioritize applicants by graduation year, arguing that older batches who have waited the longest should not be displaced by newer graduates.
The group rejected a proposed community volunteer arrangement for graduates who miss out on formal recruitment, describing it as a demotion of highly trained professionals.
“How can a nation invest years in training highly skilled healthcare professionals only to relegate them to poorly compensated volunteer arrangements afterward?” NAHSAG said.
The Association further warned that the current system risks fueling corruption and exploitation, as desperate applicants become vulnerable to middlemen demanding bribes to secure postings.
NAHSAG reiterated its demand for the implementation of automatic posting, a pledge it said was contained in the NDC manifesto and reaffirmed by Health Minister Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh. It urged the Ministry of Finance to increase financial clearance and expand recruitment numbers to absorb more graduates.
“Investing in health professionals is not an expenditure; it is a strategic investment in national productivity, public health security, socioeconomic development, and healthcare resilience,” the statement said.
The statement, signed by National President and Chief Spokesperson H.E. Ahmed Yakubu, noted that NAHSAG remains open to dialogue with the Ministry but will continue to defend the welfare and aspirations of health students and graduates.
“The future of Ghana’s healthcare system cannot be built on uncertainty, frustration, and prolonged neglect of its young workforce,” the Association stated.
The Ministry of Health had not responded to the statement at the time of publication.
