GMA President: Poor Facilities and Lack of Incentives Keep Doctors from Rural Posts
GMA President says inadequate facilities, limited incentives, and poor working conditions discourage doctors from rural postings
- Poor facilities, limited incentives, and challenging working conditions are discouraging doctors from reporting to rural areas
- Seven out of ten newly posted doctors have not reported, with the Upper West and Upper East regions most affected
- GMA urges government to implement Deprived Area Incentives and complete medical infrastructure projects to improve rural healthcare delivery
The President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Professor Ernest Yorke, has raised concerns over the persistent challenges preventing newly posted medical doctors from reporting to underserved areas, calling for urgent government action to provide both adequate incentives and functional facilities.
The remarks follow Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s announcement granting doctors an extra week to report to their duty stations amid a nationwide refusal to take up postings.
According to the Minister, seven out of ten newly posted doctors have not reported, with the Upper West and Upper East regions recording no arrivals as of November 28.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, Prof Yorke noted that while many doctors are willing to serve in deprived areas, poor remuneration, limited incentives, and inadequate working conditions discourage them from doing so.
“The situation is a classic chicken-and-egg scenario. There could be an incentive leading to the sacrifice, or the sacrifice leading to the incentive, or we can do both at the same time. I would go for the latter,” he said.
He emphasized that accepting postings to underserved areas should come with appropriate incentives, pointing out that the Ministry of Health already has a Deprived Area Incentive policy developed by the GMA, which has yet to be implemented.
Prof Yorke also highlighted limited opportunities for postgraduate training, forcing some doctors to pay large sums to specialize, and the need for adequate medical facilities, including the completion of unfinished projects under Agenda 111.
“It is not just human manpower that is needed; it is also the facilities to work with. Can we partner with private persons to complete these facilities so that we can get them running?” he asked.
While posting acceptance rates have been satisfactory in Greater Accra, Central, and Ashanti regions, Prof Yorke warned that other parts of the country continue to face critical shortages. He urged the government to engage with the public and implement practical solutions to ensure healthcare reaches deprived communities.
