The Ministry of Health has announced that Ghana and Jamaica are in the final stages of signing a bilateral health agreement to facilitate the deployment of Ghanaian health professionals to work in Kingston.
The announcement follows a series of diplomatic engagements between both countries, aimed at strengthening South–South cooperation and deepening bilateral relations between Ghana and Jamaica.
A Jamaican health delegation, led by the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, held high-level discussions with Ghana’s Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to finalise technical, legal, and diplomatic processes ahead of the formal signing of the agreement.
Under the arrangement, the first batch of Ghanaian health professionals are expected to be deployed to Jamaica as early as June, under internationally recognised labour standards and ethical recruitment principles, with emphasis on protecting workers’ welfare and professional development.
Speaking during the engagement, Minister Akandoh noted that the agreement had completed all technical, legal, and diplomatic procedures and was now awaiting formal signing.
The agreement is expected to create employment opportunities, promote skills and knowledge exchange, and strengthen Jamaica’s healthcare system, which has faced staffing pressures in recent years.
It also comes amid wider reforms in Jamaica’s health sector, including the implementation of a Human Resource for Health Strategy announced during the 2026/2027 Sectoral Presentation in the Jamaican Parliament.
Minister Tufton described the partnership as a demonstration of South–South cooperation and a step toward addressing global health workforce inequalities, adding that such collaborations strengthen healthcare systems through shared expertise and capacity building.
Following the signing, Ghana’s Health Minister has directed relevant agencies to begin implementation processes immediately.
The Jamaican delegation is also expected to tour selected health facilities and regulatory institutions in the Greater Accra, Eastern, and Central Regions to gain deeper insight into Ghana’s healthcare delivery system and strengthen institutional cooperation.
Both countries are expected to explore broader collaboration in specialist medical training, public health, pharmaceuticals, digital health systems, traditional and plant medicine research, and emergency health preparedness.
The initiative forms part of Ghana’s broader health workforce expansion strategy, following the recruitment of 6,248 health workers in May, who are expected to begin work on July 1, 2026, after the closure of the recruitment portal.
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