Global Health Workforce Programme launched in Accra

The Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET), in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH), launched the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) in Accra.

The programme, funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), aims to strengthen the health workforce and build more resilient health systems for post-pandemic recovery, leading to progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

It would also support health partnerships between Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and the UK. Mr Ben Simms, Chief Executive Officer of THET, stated that the trust was pleased to begin the programme, which provides significant funding to support the exchange of skills between Ghanaian and UK-based health professionals.

He said that health professionals were at the heart of every health system and that their work was critical to achieving universal healthcare. He was optimistic that the initiative would contribute to developing Ghana’s health workforce.

Madam Louise McGrath, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of THET, stated that the programme would also support health partnerships to respond to national health workforce priorities to build stronger, more resilient health systems.

She added that ten health partnerships in Ghana had received awards, consisting of seven large funds and three small grants, which would run from February 2024 to January 2025.

According to Madam McGrath, the health partnerships seek to build capacity for subspecialty psychiatry training, strengthen postgraduate specialist medical education and training, and increase capacity for physician anaesthetist training.

It would also improve the retention of health workers in three of the most deprived districts in the Eastern region, build capacity for the provision of children’s palliative care, and strengthen the ability of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana.

“It will also improve the quality of chemical pathology training and service provision, pilot a model for improved access to high quality, core stroke skills training opportunities in remote or underserved areas across Ghana, improve quality training opportunities in pain management provided to the health workforce and develop a leadership and management pilot fellowship programme in The Kings Village, Ghana,” she said.

Prof. Francis Chisaka Kasolo, World Health Organization Representative in Ghana, said the initiative seeks to foster partnerships which would contribute to improved health workforce leadership capacity, as well as health workforce strategies that will promote gender equality.

“It will also create partnerships aligned with and contribute towards retention and wellbeing strategies, improve the number of quality training opportunities for health workers, and document learning on health workforce interventions shared with key national and international stakeholders.”

Prof. Kasolo noted that the three African partner countries would benefit from potential cross-border collaboration, allowing them to share best practices from across Africa.

“By investing in the health workforce, the programme will not only support the country in achieving its health goals but also contribute to global security and sustainable development.”

Dr. Kwesi Asabir, a Ministry of Health representative, stated that human resources are the heartbeat of any health system and that more people should be trained.

However, there is a need to balance the equation by addressing the global human resource gap so that nations like Ghana may be supported in training more people.