Over 30k unemployed Allied Health Professionals to protest recruitment delays

The Coalition of Unemployed Allied Health Professionals Association of Ghana (COUAHP) is angry. They are upset about the government's failure to employ thousands of qualified health professionals. Many have been jobless since 2019.

These professionals include Medical Laboratory Scientists, Physiotherapists, and Radiographers. They also include Health Information Officers, Disease Control Officers, Community Mental Health Officers, Nutritionists, and Dietitians.

The group feels neglected and discriminated against. They highlight critical shortages in public health facilities.

Over 30,000 young people demand immediate recruitment. They want transparent timelines and a national policy to prevent protests.

The Medical Laboratory Professional Workers' Union (MELPWU) has urged the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance to act quickly. They want to address the long delays in hiring allied health professionals.

Despite this call for action, COUAHP sees no response from the government. They are demanding immediate job postings for their members.

To express their frustration, coalition members wrapped red bands around their heads and hands. They call this an act against “injustice.”

They argue that they have met all professional requirements but remain unemployed for over six years.

Hussein Abdul-Baaki is the Public Relations Officer of COUAHP. He blames the government for unfair demands regarding professional license renewals.

He said, "We completed our mandatory national service and passed our licensure exams." Yet many remain unemployed since 2019 despite these efforts.

He added that public health facilities face chronic staff shortages in key areas like diagnostics and disease surveillance.

Abdul-Baaki also mentioned that renewing professional licenses costs them money while they are unemployed. This situation adds to their emotional and financial stress.

The group demands immediate recruitment and clear national intervention for sustainable employment terms.

They announced that if there is no response soon, they will protest nationwide.

“We demand financial clearance and recruitment for all qualified but unemployed Allied Health professionals since 2019,” they stated.

They seek an end to bureaucratic delays in hiring processes as well as clear timelines from relevant ministries on recruitment plans.

They also want a comprehensive national policy for equitable recruitment in healthcare jobs. If no decisive action occurs soon, they will organize a massive demonstration for their rights to employment and dignity.