Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, says Ghana’s health workforce has seen significant expansion, with staffing levels more than tripling in recent years.

According to him, health worker density has improved from 16.5 to 41.9 per 10,000 population, while the combined density of doctors, nurses and midwives now stands at 82.75 per 10,000—well above the World Health Organization benchmark.

Speaking at the 2026 Annual Health Summit in Accra, Mr Akandoh said these gains were achieved through sustained investment in human resources for health, stressing that building a strong workforce remains central to improving healthcare delivery.

However, the minister acknowledged persistent inequalities in the distribution of health personnel, noting that although a significant proportion of the population lives in rural areas, only a smaller share of health workers are deployed there.

He pointed out that major urban centres such as Greater Accra and Ashanti continue to host the bulk of doctors and pharmacists.

Mr Akandoh also raised concern about ongoing migration pressures, saying many health professionals continue to express interest in leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

He stressed that addressing Ghana’s healthcare challenges goes beyond training more professionals but ensures fair deployment, motivation, support and retention of staff.

“The goal of universal health coverage will not be achieved by increasing facilities alone but by building a workforce that can deliver quality care everywhere,” he emphasised.