Health employment ban will be lifted – Minister

The Minister of Health, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang- Mensah has announced plans to employ critical health personnel for the three regions of the north despite the embargo on employment in the public sector.
The employment of the critical health personnel according to the sector Minister, is to enhance the delivery of quality health care in the Upper East Region.
He made this known during a working visit to the region to assess the region’s preparedness against the Ebola disease.
Government in 2010 banned the recruitment of employees in the public sector to reduce the increasing wage bill.
The embargo has over the years increased the rate of unemployment in the country.
During an interaction with health officials of at the Bolgatanga Regional hospital, the Regional Director of Health, Dr. Kwaku Awoonor, bemoaned the lack of critical health personnel in the region saying it is hindering the delivery of quality healthcare.
He told the Minister that the “human resource is so critical” in the heath sector adding that the region is unable to fill vacant positions when health personnel proceed on retirement.
“This year for instance, 82 staff are going on retirement. Last year, about 71 workers retired and next year, 94 people will retire. Previously, government made us give out the names of those that we can replace…but now, there is an embargo meaning that the whole of the 94 people going on retirement will not be replaced,” he lamented.
But the sector Minister, Dr, Agyeman Mensah promised that the Ministry will make a special case to the Ministry of Finance for the situation to be addressed.
He was of the opinion that Ghana cannot have a general embargo on employment because some regions are in dire need of health and other professionals to aid their development.
“Some regions do need help and the regions up north really need help so we are going to make a special case for the three northern regions,” he pledged.