The Deputy Minister for Health, Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has called for a transparent, fair and merit-based admissions process for Health Training Institutions to strengthen Ghana’s health workforce.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Health Training Institutions Conference in Kumasi, she said the quality of healthcare delivery begins with the quality of students admitted into training institutions, adding that decisions taken at the conference would help shape the next generation of health professionals and support Ghana’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.
Get more exclusive breaking news updates on our WhatsApp channel .
Addressing the conference under the theme, “Bridging Pathways and Harmonising Entry Standards for Quality Advanced Health Training,” Prof. Ayensu-Danquah highlighted key reforms by the Ministry of Health aimed at improving health training.
These include the prompt payment of trainee allowances, fully funded PhD scholarships for 30 health tutors, the creation of the Chief Health Tutor position, and the rollout of specialist nursing programmes.
She also mentioned reduced nursing admission form costs, improved admissions processes, the introduction of Bachelor of Science programmes in 14 nursing training colleges, and enhanced human resource management systems.
She urged participants to ensure admissions remain transparent, objective, consistent and responsive to Ghana’s health workforce needs, and called for the uniform implementation of agreed admission guidelines across all institutions.
She also commended regulatory bodies, mentoring universities and development partners for supporting quality health professional education.
The Director of Human Resource for Health Development at the Ministry of Health, Mr Fred Mensah Achampong, described the annual conference as an important platform for strengthening health professional education, sharing experiences and adopting innovative approaches to training the country’s future health workforce.
Mr Achampong announced the commencement of new post-basic specialist nursing programmes in Critical Care, Emergency, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Nephrology and Oncology Nursing at selected Health Training Institutions.
He said more than 500 students have already been admitted into the pioneer institutions, with the Ministry targeting at least 1,000 admissions annually over the next three years.
The conference brought together officials from the Ministry of Health, health training institutions, regulatory councils, mentoring universities, development partners, and admissions and selection committees.
They discussed interview processes, selection guidelines, and strategies to harmonise admissions while improving the quality of health professional education in Ghana.
