Developing human resource for health in Ghana

Transforming Ghana’s Health Workforce for Universal Health Coverage

Accra, Ghana – From 2021 to 2023, a strategic partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Kingdom Government through the Department of Health and Social Care (UK-DHSC) helped to transform Ghana’s health workforce to better contribute to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the health workforce programme.

The initiative enabled over 21,500 healthcare workers, including 10,409 females across the country to benefit from improved capacity to be able to respond to emerging health challenges and help to build a resilient health system towards the attainment of UHC.

Partnership for Quality Health Services

“Our partnership with the UK-DHSC on this project is a reflection of our shared belief that qualified health workers are the foundation for the delivery of quality health services,” said the WHO Representative to Ghana, Prof Francis Kasolo during a closeout meeting with partners to mark the end of the programme. “The success of the programme has demonstrated that we can achieve so much more through partnership”.

Speaking on behalf of UK-DHSC, Health Advisor at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Uzo Gilpin commended WHO for mobilizing and coordinating partners from different areas of health for the successful implementation of the programme and expressed the commitment of the Government of UK to continue supporting interventions for the health and wellbeing of Ghanaians.

“The health workforce program has demonstrated WHO’s role in convening multiple partners and agencies towards strengthening the health workforce for better health outcomes,” she added. 

Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals

The Workforce Programme is particularly significant as it contributed to all of WHO’s triple billion objectives of more people benefitting from universal health coverage without financial hardship; more people better protected from health emergencies; more people enjoying better health and well-being as outlined in the Global Programme of Work (GPW13).

Building Capacity for Better Health Outcomes

The Programme has built the capacity of senior health managers and other healthcare workers through various components including:

• Strengthening Human Resources for Health Systems
• Public Health Surveillance
• Emergency Preparedness and Response, including COVID-19 Case management
• Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health and Adolescent and Youth-Friendly Health Services
• Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Training

“We are grateful to WHO and UK-DHSC for this health workforce programme that has contributed to developing agile health workers who are driving our health sector agenda,” noted the Director for Human Resources for Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr Kwesi Asabir.

Achievements and Impact

Some key achievements of the programme include:

• Enhanced capacity for 1,028 (53% females) health workers in Point of Care Quality Improvement interventions, which is helping to improve Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in all 16 regions.
• Improved skills of 394 personnel (132 females) on mental health and psychosocial support, making such support available in schools, health facilities, and communities.

In addition to building the capacity of the health workforce, the Programme has also supported the improvement and development of about 19 national frameworks, guidance, and tools on workforce management, medical practices, and training in the country.

Empowering Health Workers

For the health workers, this initiative was critical in empowering them to support quality health service delivery at all levels of care.

“The health workforce programme was critical in equipping us with the skills needed to provide mental health & psychosocial support to survivors of the 2022 Appiatse explosion disaster,” says Dr Ruth Owusu-Antwi, President of the Psychiatric Association of Ghana.

Partnership for Sustainable Health Systems

The Workforce Programme was implemented from September 2021 to June 2023 across two phases, with a combined funding amounting to £3,663,918 from the United Kingdom Government through the Department of Health and Social Care (UK-DHSC).

The continued partnership between WHO and UK-DHSC has demonstrated the potential to put Ghana on the path to building an effective human resource for health towards the attainment of universal health coverage.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
   • Indicator: Improved capacity of healthcare workers to respond to emerging health challenges and contribute to the attainment of universal health coverage.

2. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
   • Indicator: Capacity building of senior health managers and other healthcare workers through various components, including training on public health surveillance, emergency preparedness and response, and adolescent sexual reproductive health.

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
   • Indicator: Improvement in the capacity of female healthcare workers through the health workforce program.

4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
   • Indicator: Capacity building of healthcare workers to contribute to the health sector agenda and support quality health service delivery at all levels of care.

5. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
   • Indicator: Improvement in the skills and capacity of healthcare workers to provide mental health and psychosocial support to survivors of disasters.

6. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • Indicator: Successful implementation of the health workforce program through partnership between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Kingdom Government.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: afro.who.int

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