I never said Ghana has more nurses than it needs — Akandoh

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has rejected claims that he suggested Ghana is producing more nurses and midwives than the country needs.

He said his position was that the government could only recruit health professionals within the limits of its budget and ability to pay their salaries.

Mr Akandoh made the clarification at a press conference in Accra on Friday, October 9, urging stakeholders to seek clarification from the ministry rather than misrepresenting his remarks.

“I never said that, never. What I clearly stated was that the budget or the country can only recruit what we can pay for,” he said.

The minister explained that his earlier engagement with stakeholders in the health sector was intended to provide an opportunity for questions, clarification and discussion of concerns surrounding the recruitment of nurses and midwives.

He said the ministry remains open to criticism but cautioned against drawing conclusions from engagements without seeking further clarification from officials.

“We are open to criticisms, but we should not be misleading the public,” he stressed.

The Minister further noted that the government is expanding yellow fever vaccination to include adults in affected areas following an increase in suspected cases.

He reported that the country has recorded 450 suspected cases nationwide, including 88 in the Upper West Region, with three confirmed.