The Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has raised concerns over what it says is the inadequate recruitment of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians under the Ministry of Health’s latest employment exercise.
In a statement issued on Monday, May 11, 2026, the association acknowledged the Ministry’s efforts to begin addressing the backlog of unemployed pharmacy professionals but argued that the number recruited is far below what is required to tackle the staffing shortages in public health facilities.
According to GHOSPA, more than 4,000 pharmacists and over 6,000 pharmacy technicians were verified through the Ministry’s recruitment portal and indicated their willingness to accept postings within the public health system.
However, the association said only 100 pharmacists and 150 pharmacy technicians were eventually recruited, representing less than three percent of the available verified workforce.
GHOSPA described the outcome as deeply worrying, stressing that such numbers are insufficient to address the growing pharmaceutical staffing crisis in government hospitals and clinics.
The association also criticised aspects of the recruitment process, citing concerns over transparency in regional vacancy allocation, technical issues with the application portal and limited stakeholder consultation.
According to GHOSPA, several applicants faced network interruptions and system instability during the application process, which may have prevented some qualified professionals from successfully applying.
The association further warned that the shortage of pharmaceutical personnel continues to place enormous pressure on existing staff, negatively affecting healthcare delivery and patient care.
It noted that some pharmacists are unable to take annual or study leave because they remain the only pharmaceutical professionals assigned to their facilities.
While commending Kwabena Mintah Akandoh for initiating the recruitment process, GHOSPA maintained that the exercise should only be viewed as an initial step toward solving the problem.
The association has therefore urged the Ministry of Health to significantly increase recruitment numbers in future phases, publish detailed employment figures and involve institutions such as the Pharmacy Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana in future recruitment planning.
GHOSPA stressed that addressing the shortage of pharmaceutical professionals remains essential to improving medication safety, patient outcomes and the overall standard of healthcare in Ghana.
Source: citinews
