COHHETI raises alarm: Over 70,000 trained health professionals remain unemployed in Ghana

More than 70,000 trained health professionals across Ghana are currently unemployed, Miss Margaret Mary Alacoque, President of the Conference of Heads of Health Training Institutions (COHHETI), has revealed.

Speaking at the 18th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of COHHETI at Abesim, near Sunyani in the Bono Region, Ms. Alacoque expressed deep concern over what she described as the overproduction of general nurses and midwives in the country. She warned that the unchecked proliferation of new nursing training colleges was worsening the situation.

The week-long conference, held under the theme “Transforming health training for a resilient workforce: specialisation, innovation, and quality assurance,” seeks to explore solutions for building a more effective and specialised healthcare training system.

Ms Alacoque urged the government and stakeholders to focus on specialisation and capacity improvement rather than expanding the number of health training institutions. “We need to adequately resource the existing schools to operate efficiently and produce a workforce that meets the current health needs of the nation,” she stressed.

Mr Joseph Addae Akwaboa, the Bono Regional Minister, in his address, called for the integration of research, technology, and strategic partnerships to transform Ghana’s health training landscape. He said the future of the country’s healthcare system depends on “blending traditional care principles with modern scientific and technological advancements.”

Mr Akwaboa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the operations of health training institutions through infrastructure development, tutor recruitment and regularisation, and curriculum reforms to align with international standards. He also encouraged COHHETI to collaborate with the private sector and international partners to boost research, internship programmes, and knowledge exchange.

The discussions at the AGM are expected to chart a roadmap for addressing graduate unemployment, improving quality assurance, and ensuring a sustainable and specialised health workforce for Ghana’s healthcare system.