The Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) has raised concerns over the outcome of the Ministry of Health’s recent recruitment exercise, saying the number of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians employed is far too low to address shortages in public health facilities.
While acknowledging the government’s efforts to reduce unemployment among pharmaceutical professionals, the association said the intake falls significantly short of what is needed across the country’s healthcare system.
According to GHOSPA, more than 4,000 pharmacists and over 6,000 pharmacy technicians completed verification through the Ministry’s recruitment portal and expressed readiness to accept postings within the public sector.
Despite that, the association said only 100 pharmacists and 150 pharmacy technicians were eventually recruited.
GHOSPA described the figures as deeply worrying, noting that less than three percent of the verified applicants had been absorbed into the health service.
“An intake of this scale cannot, by any measure, be considered responsive to the depth of the staffing crisis confronting our facilities,” the association stated.
The group also criticised parts of the recruitment process, citing concerns over transparency, technical challenges with the online application portal and limited consultation with stakeholders within the pharmaceutical sector.
According to GHOSPA, several applicants struggled with network interruptions and system instability while trying to complete their applications, raising fears that some qualified candidates may have been unable to apply successfully.
The association further warned that many hospitals and dispensaries continue to operate with inadequate pharmaceutical staff, increasing pressure on professionals currently working within the system.
It noted that the shortage has contributed to severe burnout, with some pharmacists reportedly unable to take annual or study leave because they are the only pharmaceutical professionals serving at their facilities.
Although GHOSPA commended Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh for initiating the recruitment process, it stressed that the current exercise should only mark the beginning of broader efforts to strengthen the pharmaceutical workforce.
The association is now urging the Ministry of Health to expand future recruitment phases, release clearer employment data and work closely with the Pharmacy Council and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana to address staffing gaps in the sector.
