GMA blames poor conditions for mass doctor no-shows

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says poor working conditions and lack of incentives are driving newly posted doctors to reject assignments in underserved districts.

The warning comes amid alarming reports from Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who granted doctors an extra week to report after seven out of ten failed to take up postings.

The situation is particularly critical in the Upper West and Upper East regions, where no arrivals had been recorded as of November 28.

Speaking on Joy FM on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, GMA President Professor Ernest Yorke said the issue reflects systemic challenges rather than a lack of commitment.

“The situation is a classic chicken-and-egg scenario, which can go either way. There could be an incentive leading to the sacrifice, or we can have the sacrifice leading to the incentive, or we can do both at the same time. I would go for the latter,” he said.

Prof Yorke stressed that postings to deprived areas must come with meaningful incentives.

“If you go to a developed place and if you accept postings to a much more deprived area, there is an incentive for you. It has been done elsewhere, and it is doable here as well,” he added, noting that a Deprived Area Incentive policy drafted by the GMA remains unimplemented.

He also highlighted the challenges of postgraduate training in remote regions, which often requires doctors to pay significant sums to become specialists, reducing willingness to serve in underserved areas.

Beyond manpower, Prof Yorke emphasised the need for adequate medical facilities, pointing to unfinished Agenda 111 projects. “It is not just the human manpower that is needed; it is also the facilities to work with,” he said.

Mr. Akandoh, addressing journalists on December 2, revealed that in the Upper West Region alone, 25 out of 32 posted doctors had not reported, potentially endangering healthcare delivery for nearly one million residents.

He said the ministry is working with local authorities, regional ministers, Members of Parliament, DCEs, and chiefs to make districts more accommodating and provide support, including accommodation and other incentives.

While acceptance rates in Greater Accra, Central, and Ashanti regions remain satisfactory, Prof Yorke urged government to engage in national dialogue and implement practical measures to ensure that deprived communities receive essential medical care.