The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has held talks with a delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) ahead of the African Health Workforce Investment Forum scheduled to take place in Accra.
The delegation was led by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, who paid a courtesy call on the Minister as preparations intensify for the high-level gathering.
Welcoming the team, Mr. Akandoh described the visit as timely and reaffirmed Ghana’s readiness to host the forum. He stressed the need for the meeting to go beyond discussions and produce actionable outcomes that will directly benefit citizens.
The Minister also highlighted key reforms underway in Ghana’s health sector, including the rollout of the Free Primary Healthcare Initiative, expansion of health infrastructure, and ongoing efforts to recruit and retain health professionals.
Dr. Janabi, on his part, commended Ghana’s leadership in advancing health sector reforms and noted the increasing importance of health workers as critical national assets. He, however, expressed concern about the continued migration of African-trained health professionals to other regions.
According to him, there is a need for structured and mutually beneficial arrangements between countries that train health workers and those that benefit from their expertise. He also called for stronger partnerships, including investment support from destination countries, to help sustain training and improve retention across the continent.
The meeting further highlighted Ghana’s role as a leader in the region, with several African countries drawing lessons from its health workforce planning strategies and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The African Health Workforce Investment Forum is expected to bring together policymakers, health experts, and development partners to discuss sustainable solutions for strengthening the continent’s health workforce.
