The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has urged Ghanaian health workers being deployed abroad to maintain professionalism and diligence, reminding them that they represent the country on the international stage.
Speaking at a send-off ceremony on Monday, January 26, 2026, the minister said the overseas deployment programme forms part of the government’s efforts to address the growing backlog of trained but unemployed health professionals in Ghana.
“As you are going, you must remember that you are carrying the flag of Ghana. We expect you to work with dedication and professionalism. We will be following your progress with keen interest,” he stated.
Akandoh disclosed that Antigua is the first destination under the initiative, with plans far advanced to send additional batches of health workers to Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad.
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“Today is about Antigua. We are working on Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad, and we will be doing this in batches,” he said.
He assured health professionals who remain unemployed in Ghana that more opportunities would be created under the programme.
“To those watching from home, I am very hopeful that it will soon be your turn,” he indicated.
Explaining the rationale behind the initiative, Akandoh noted that although the government continues to recruit health workers into local health facilities, budgetary constraints limit the number that can be absorbed at any given time.
“At every point in time, our budget can only absorb a certain proportion of them. So, as government looks at employing some internally, we are also exploring other avenues outside the country,” he said.
Watch the video below:
“This programme is a strategic intervention to reduce the backlog of over 80,000 unemployed health professionals while positioning Ghana as a key exporter of skilled medical personnel,” — Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, speaking on the Labour Exchange Programme.… pic.twitter.com/qDKPsAjpRp
— CITI FM 97.3 (@Citi973) January 26, 2026
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
