Thousands of newly qualified nurses and midwives across Ghana are facing mounting uncertainty as persistent delays in recruitment, posting, licensing and salary processing continue to leave many unemployed or unpaid despite critical staffing shortages in public health facilities.
The growing crisis within the health sector has sparked concern among healthcare professionals and industry stakeholders, with many warning that the situation could further weaken Ghana’s already strained healthcare system.
One of the major concerns raised by affected nurses and midwives is the delay in obtaining Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana.
Many nurses who completed their training or national service in 2024 and 2025 say they have been unable to secure their PINs for months, preventing them from applying for jobs or completing recruitment processes.
The delays have triggered increasing calls on the Council to address what many describe as a growing backlog affecting newly trained healthcare professionals.
Beyond the licensing challenges, thousands of nurses are also struggling with delays in salary processing following recruitment into the public sector.
Although financial clearance was reportedly secured in August 2024 to facilitate recruitment, the clearance expired before all recruits could be fully processed onto the payroll system.
As a result, an estimated 6,500 newly recruited nurses remain unpaid months after assuming duties, leaving many in severe financial distress.
Affected nurses say the prolonged delays have made it difficult to pay rent, transportation costs and other living expenses despite actively working in health facilities.
The situation has also exposed major bottlenecks in the posting process.
Hundreds of nurses assigned to regions such as Greater Accra Region have reportedly been left stranded after arriving for postings only to discover that available slots were far below the number of personnel deployed.
In some cases, more than 300 nurses reportedly reported to designated centres while only about 30 placement slots were available, forcing many to return home uncertain about their future.
The ongoing frustrations have further intensified concerns about the growing migration of Ghanaian nurses abroad.
According to data from the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, more than 10,000 nurses applied for clearance to work abroad between January and July 2023.
Industry observers attribute the increasing migration trend to poor conditions of service, low salaries, delayed payments and frustrations with the local healthcare system.
The situation has also been compounded by longstanding disputes between the GRNMA and government over conditions of service, salary arrears and welfare concerns.
These tensions have, at various times, led to threats of industrial action by health workers demanding improved working conditions and faster implementation of agreed policies.
Healthcare stakeholders have warned that continued delays in recruitment and salary processing could discourage young professionals from remaining in the country’s healthcare system.
The GRNMA and affected groups have therefore urged government to expedite recruitment processes, renew financial clearances and resolve the licensing backlog to prevent further disruption within the sector.
They argue that addressing the concerns of newly qualified nurses and midwives is critical not only for the welfare of healthcare professionals but also for the stability and efficiency of Ghana’s healthcare delivery system.