The Minister of Health, Kweku Abemang-Menu says the government is planning to recruit 53,000 nurses and midwives across the country by the end of 2019.
According to him, his outfit is seeking financial clearance from the Finance Ministry to commence the recruitment of nurses and midwives who completed their training in 2017 and 2018.
Mr. Agyemang-Manu made these known at Issa, the capital of the Daffiama-Bisie-Issa district of the Upper West Region during a visit by President Nana Akufo-Addo to the area.
“We are aware of the current unemployment situation the previous government created. That is why the president upon assuming office started a process to get our nurses employed. So far we have recuited in the process up to 2016.â€
“We are in talks with the Finance Ministry to give us further clearance to employ the 2017 and 2018 barges. We are hoping that by the end of this year, we will employ up to 53,000 nurses nationwide,†he noted.
The Health Minister said the government is in talks with Germany and other countries to export nurses and other health personnel to those countries.
He further added that the government is in the process of paying all arrears owed health service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme in the country by the middle of September this year.
Gov't releases funds to pay allowance of trainee nurses
Government of Ghana has through the Ministry of Health released funds to pay the final part of the nurses' trainee allowance for the 2018/2019 academic year.
A statement signed by the Chief Director at the Ministry of Health, Nana Kwabena Adjei-Mensah said, "This is in fulfilment of the government's commitment to the restoration of the Nursing Trainee allowance in 2017."
According to the statement, the government has released a total amount of GHS 198, 200, 000.00 from September 2018 to June 2019 to pay all trainees in public training institutions.
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