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The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced that 80 percent of the 700 junior medical doctors currently being processed for posting will be deployed to district facilities across the country. Mr. Akandoh said the decision is part of efforts to address the uneven distribution of healthcare professionals, noting that most doctors prefer to work in the Greater Accra Region, leaving rural and underserved communities with inadequate access to medical care. Speaking during a meeting at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) on Wednesday, November 5, the Minister described the move as “a tough but necessary decision” to ensure equitable healthcare delivery nationwide. “I have started posting junior doctors, and we are doing not less than 700 of them this y ear. The process is ongoing. We are determined to post not less than 80% of this 700 to the districts. It is not an easy decision, but it is a necessary one,” he stated. “ Mr. Akandoh noted that the majority of doctors currently serve in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, creating a major imbalance in the health system. He said consultations are underway to redistribute medical officers across the country to promote fairness and efficiency in healthcare delivery. “We are pleading with you, with the greatest of respect, Accra and Kumasi are choked. From these consultations, we will soon begin redistributing medical doctors across the country. It is a very tough decision, but any opinion or suggestion is welcome,” Akandoh said. As part of efforts to retool health facilities, the Minister also donated three anaesthetic machines to the UGMC and directed their immediate installation to enhance patient care services.
