The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have begun developing a national leadership and management training programme to strengthen the capacity of nurses and midwives serving in managerial positions across Ghana's health system.

The initiative reached a key milestone during a curriculum development inception meeting held at the UHAS Main Campus at Sokode-Lokoe in Ho on Tuesday, July 21, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The meeting established a Steering Committee and Technical Working Group to spearhead the development of the programme.

The proposed Nursing and Midwifery Leadership and Management Programme will deliver practical, evidence-based training for nurse and midwife managers at facility, district and regional levels.

It is expected to equip participants with the leadership, management and decision-making skills required to lead high-performing teams, manage resources efficiently, improve the quality of care and enhance health service delivery.

Speaking at the meeting, the Ghana Health Service's Director of Nursing and Midwifery Services, Dr Eva Mensah, underscored the importance of building strong leadership competencies within the nursing and midwifery professions.

She said the programme is intended to strengthen core leadership and management skills among nurses and midwives at all levels of the health service to improve institutional performance and healthcare outcomes.

Participants reviewed the proposed curriculum framework and identified priority areas, including strategic leadership, evidence-informed decision-making, health policy analysis and implementation, financial and resource management, governance, quality improvement, research and data utilisation.

The Vice-Chancellor of UHAS, Professor Lydia Aziato, welcomed the collaboration, noting that the Ghana Health Service's nationwide presence would help ensure the curriculum addresses the practical needs of healthcare professionals.

She also advocated recognising prior learning and professional experience to avoid unnecessary duplication of coursework.

Mentorship was identified as a key component of the programme, with Dr Mensah stressing the need to institutionalise mentoring within nursing and midwifery administration to ensure the long-term sustainability of leadership development efforts.

UHAS and the Ghana Health Service said the partnership combines academic expertise with operational experience to develop a sustainable pipeline of nurse and midwife leaders capable of strengthening Ghana's health system.

The two institutions reaffirmed their commitment to working with UNFPA and other stakeholders to finalise the curriculum and establish a sustainable framework for nationwide implementation.