Akandoh: GH¢22bn health budget to strengthen infrastructure, workforce

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced that the Ministry of Health has received a GH¢22.8 billion budget allocation for the 2026 fiscal year to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country.

He said the allocation would be used to improve healthcare infrastructure, expand services under the Free Primary Healthcare package, increase funding for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and recruit additional health professionals.

The budget, he added, also emphasises improved compensation, allowances, and welfare support for healthcare workers.

Mr Akandoh noted that the government remained committed to sustained engagement with nurses and midwives to improve their working conditions, boost morale, and curb the growing incidence of brain drain in the health sector.

According to him, continuous dialogue with health workers was critical to strengthening Ghana’s healthcare system and ensuring quality service delivery nationwide.Ghana travel guide

The Minister made these remarks in a speech read on his behalf at the 6th Annual National Dinner and Awards Night organised by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) in Accra on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

He commended nurses and midwives for their immense contributions to building a strong and resilient healthcare system, describing them as the backbone of the nation’s health delivery framework.

Mr Akandoh disclosed that the Ministry of Health had recruited 13,500 nurses and midwives as part of efforts to strengthen the health workforce, particularly at the frontline. He assured that all newly recruited health personnel who had experienced delays in the payment of their salaries would be paid by the end of the year.

He explained that the recruitment formed part of a broader strategy to improve frontline healthcare delivery under the Free Primary Healthcare and Mahama Cares initiatives.

The Minister congratulated award recipients at the ceremony, praising their sacrifices, compassion and dedication to improving health outcomes across the country.

Also speaking at the event, the Okyenhene and King of the Akyem Abuakwa Kingdom, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, commended nurses and midwives for their unwavering commitment to duty and urged them to remain pillars of Ghana’s healthcare advancement.

“The value of your profession cannot be measured by the number of hours you work, but by the dignity, comfort, and hope you offer patients,” he said.

He called on the government to invest in state-of-the-art health facilities to position Ghana as a destination for healthcare opportunities, adding that quality infrastructure must be complemented by dedicated and compassionate professionals.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, announced plans to roll out nationwide training in emergency care and basic life support for health workers. He also urged health professionals to improve customer care at health facilities to reduce complaints and build public confidence in the healthcare system.

The President of GRNMA, Dr Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, said the awards ceremony, instituted in 2020, was aimed at recognising the outstanding contributions of nurses and midwives, particularly those working in rural and underserved communities. She described them as the backbone of the health system whose dedication continues to save lives and inspire hope.

At the ceremony, Beatrice Sewor, a Senior Nursing Officer at St Joseph Catholic Hospital in Nkwanta in the Volta Region, was named the National Best Nurse/Midwife for 2025 in recognition of her professionalism, dedication and commitment to quality care in a challenging rural setting.

Nana Gladys Kusi-Yeboah received the President’s Award for her contribution to advancing maternal health policy, while several other nurses and midwives were honoured for their contributions to the health sector.

Source: GNA