500 Specialised Nurses to be trained to Boost NCD Care -Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has announced Cabinet approval for the recruitment and training of 500 specialised nurses to strengthen Ghana’s response to Non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Speaking at the commissioning of the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital by the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, on July 9, 2026, the President disclosed that the first batch of trainees had already commenced studies at Korle Bu’s nursing training facility.
He described the initiative as a major investment in the country’s specialised healthcare workforce.
The nurses are undergoing specialised training in critical care disciplines, including nephrology, cardiovascular care and oncology, to address the growing burden of NCDs across the country.
President Mahama said a second training centre would be established at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital before the graduates are deployed to specialised NCD treatment centres nationwide.
He said the programme forms part of the expanded mandate of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), which now extends beyond supporting patients’ treatment to investing in specialised healthcare infrastructure, modern medical equipment and skilled personnel needed to deliver quality care.
President Mahama stressed that advanced medical equipment alone could not improve health outcomes without adequately trained healthcare professionals to operate and manage it effectively.
To complement the investment in specialised healthcare, he also announced plans to establish the Ghana Medical Equipment Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, to oversee the maintenance, performance monitoring and replacement of specialised medical equipment across the country.
The President said the decision was informed by lessons from previous government investments, recalling that medical equipment worth about US$250 million installed in regional and teaching hospitals had deteriorated over the years because of inadequate maintenance.
“This is not a sustainable model,” he said, adding that the new company would help protect public investment in healthcare infrastructure while ensuring that specialised equipment remains functional to support quality patient care.
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