Health Minister Warns Doctors Against Rejecting Rural Postings or Risk Losing Placement

• Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has warned that medical doctors who refuse postings to rural and underserved areas risk losing their placement
• He said the policy aims to address the persistent imbalance, with nearly half of Ghana’s doctors based in Greater Accra
• The Ministry is set to reassign vacancies to doctors willing to serve in deprived communities as part of efforts to improve equitable healthcare delivery

Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Ghana’s Minister for Health, has issued a strong warning to medical doctors who refuse to accept postings to rural parts of the country.

Speaking in an interview with Citi FM on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, Kwabena Akandoh stated that any doctor who rejects the postings may be risking forfeiting their placement opportunities.

This move, he said, forms part of broader efforts to address inequalities in healthcare delivery in Ghana.

He further disclosed that a significant number of doctors have historically declined postings to underserved regions, adding that this trend continues to undermine equitable access to healthcare across the country.

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Akandoh bemoans doctor posting imbalance

According to the Health Minister, almost 50 per cent of doctors are concentrated in the Greater Accra Region.

He further explained that this figure rises to 70 per cent when combined with the Ashanti Region, leaving many districts critically underserved.

This imbalance, he said, has compelled the Ministry to enforce stricter posting policies.

“Since they have legitimate concerns, they cannot deny people care by refusing to go to the districts,” he said.

In a report by Citi News, Kwabena Akandoh also noted that only 12 doctors accepted postings to eight identified underserved regions in 2024.

However, he said recent interventions have led to some improvement, with about 100 doctors now taking up similar postings.

The Health Minister indicated that the Ministry will soon roll out a directive to reassign opportunities to doctors willing to serve in deprived areas, warning that those who decline postings will lose their slots.

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“We are going to state that those who have not accepted the postings will be deprived of that opportunity, and we will open it up. Even if you completed yesterday and you are a fully qualified medical doctor willing to go, we will give you that opportunity,” he said.

Mahama launches Free Primary Healthcare

Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama had launched the Free Primary Healthcare policy on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in fulfillment of his 2024 campaign promise.

The Health Minister said the policy will cost at least GH₵1.2 billion annually and will be implemented in phases, beginning with 150 districts out of the 273 across the country.

He said the cost of rolling out the policy underscored the scale and long-term commitment needed to transform healthcare delivery across the country.

Mintah Akandoh further provided details on the financial framework underpinning the policy, which is expected to significantly expand access to healthcare services, particularly in underserved communities.

Diseases Free Primary Healthcare will cover

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the Health Ministry had outlined the scope of the new primary healthcare policy with the hope that it becomes the backbone of a resilient healthcare system.

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The policy was designed to ensure that every Ghanaian who visits a primary health facility can access a broad range of essential services.

Source: YEN.com.gh