The Minister for Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called for sustained investment in specialist nursing and midwifery education as Ghana works to strengthen its health workforce and respond to growing demand for specialised care.
He said nurses and midwives remain the centre of healthcare delivery across the country.
He stated this at the Top Up Induction Ceremony of the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives, held at the R. S. Amegashie Auditorium of the University of Ghana Business School in Accra.
Mr Akandoh said the theme of the ceremony, “Building the Future Health Workforce: A Call for Strategic Investments in Specialist Nursing and Midwifery Education,” highlights the need to strengthen the skills and capacity of health professionals. He explained that the strength of the health system depends largely on those who deliver care, especially frontline workers.
He noted that Ghana’s health sector operates within the National Health Policy (2020) and the Health Sector Medium Term Development Framework, both of which aim to expand access to quality care and improve the health system to achieve universal health coverage.
The Minister said Ghana has record a rise in non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease and mental health conditions. At the same time, demand for specialised services in areas including critical care, oncology, neonatal care and emergency nursing continues to grow. Adding that this trend requires health professionals with advanced training.
He announced that the at government has introduced measures to strengthen specialist care and training. These include the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, also known as MahamaCares, which provides financial support for treating life-threatening conditions and aims to improve access to specialised care for vulnerable groups. Mr Akandoh said such programmes will help ensure that patients are not denied treatment due to cost, while also supporting the training of specialised health professionals.
He added that admissions have been opened for post-basic programmes in cardiology, nephrology, endocrinology and emergency nursing.
He also disclosed that financial clearance has been secured to clear the backlog of allowances owed to rotation nurses and to ensure regular monthly payments.
In addition, the Ministry plans to sponsor at least 15 doctoral scholarships each year for nursing and midwifery tutors. He said the programme would produce about doctoral-level educators within four years to support teaching, research and innovation in training institutions.
The Minister spoke about efforts to improve health infrastructure, expand specialist training, strengthen primary healthcare and promote research. He added that the government will soon roll out the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative to remove financial barriers to basic health services. Akandoh said building a strong health workforce requires investment in modern training facilities, faculty development, relevant curricula, clear career pathways research-basedased practice.
He commended the leadership of the Ghana College of Nurses and Midwives for maintaining standards in postgraduate and specialist training.
He urged newly inducted professionals to pursue excellence, show compassion in patient care and provide leadership in their facilities. He said specialised nurses and midwives play a key role in improving patient safety, strengthening referral systems and achieving better health outcomes.
The Rector of the College, Dr Mrs. Gloria Ahempim-Ansong, said the institution began with eight programmes and 30 residents across three teaching hospitals. It now runs 22 programmes with about 1,413 residents at different levels.
She said the programmes cover nursing, midwifery, mental health and public health nursing. The College has expanded across three zones in the country, with training sites in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Techiman, Koforidua, Ho and Agogo.
According to her, the College works with 65 accredited training centres and more than 100 educators drawn from teaching hospitals, regional and district hospitals, and private specialist facilities. Dr Mrs. Achempim-Ansong said the College continues to collaborate with several international partners to strengthen training and research.
Among these partners are The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada, which works with the College on the Increase Gains in Nutrition by Integration, Education, Evaluation and Empowerment project aimed at improving adolescent health and nutrition.
Other partners include World Child Cancer, which supports training in paediatric oncology and palliative nursing, the Ghanaian Diaspora Nurses Alliance, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which assists with capacity building.
She also mentioned support from the Ghana Medical Trust Fund for the training of residents.
The College has also introduced a Top Up pathway in collaborationwith post-basicc training institutions. Since 2023, the initiative has brought 2, post-basic nurses into the College as Associate Members, allowing them to upgrade their qualifications and specialise in their respective field.
Dr Mrs. Ahempim-Ansong thanked stakeholders including the Ghana Health Service and the Christian Health Association of Ghana for granting study leave with pay to nurses and midwives pursuing specialist training.
She also commended the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana for supporting the College with facilities, funding and IT resources.
She said the college will continue to expand specialist programmes, strengthen faculty through fellowship training and build partnerships to position itself as a centre of excellence in Africa.
