The first cohort of specialist nursing trainees under the government’s expanded specialist nursing programme has returned to class after successfully completing their first semester examinations and practical training at various teaching hospitals across the country.
Tony Goodman, Director in charge of Health Training Institutions at the Ministry of Health, announced the resumption in a social media update, saying the trainees had completed an important stage of their specialist training.
“The first cohort of Specialist Nursing Trainees has returned to class after successfully completing their first-semester examinations and practical training at various teaching hospitals across the country,” Mr Goodman said.
He commended the trainees for their “commitment, dedication and hard work” and wished them continued success as they proceed with the next phase of their training.
The development forms part of government’s broader efforts to expand specialist nursing education and build a stronger pool of specialised health professionals to meet the country’s growing healthcare needs.
Under the programme, nearly 500 nurses were admitted for specialist training for the 2025/2026 academic year in areas including Emergency Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Cardiology Nursing, Nephrology Nursing, Endocrinology Nursing and Oncology Nursing.
The training is being undertaken at selected health training institutions and teaching hospitals, including institutions in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale.
The expansion is also expected to increase access to specialist nurses in areas where Ghana faces growing demand, particularly in the management of non-communicable diseases and other complex medical conditions.
The government has indicated plans to increase admissions into specialist nursing programmes to at least 1,000 nurses annually over the next three years.
The move is part of efforts to shift the focus of health workforce development from simply increasing the number of nurses to producing more professionals with advanced skills in specialised areas of healthcare.
Mr Goodman has previously stressed the need for Ghana to expand specialist nursing capacity, particularly as the country works to strengthen services for patients requiring emergency, critical and specialised care.
“For years, these schools have been doing what the Ministry of Health actually needs. We have channelled a lot of nurses in this country and we have now reached the point where we must specialise,” he said.
The specialist nursing programme has also been linked to government’s broader strategy to improve the management of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease and cancer, which require increasingly specialised care.
According to Mr Goodman, strengthening specialist nursing education is critical to improving the professional standards of nurses and ensuring that the health system has the personnel required to deliver quality care.
“The Ministry of Health remains committed to strengthening specialist nursing education and improving the professional standards of nurses in Ghana to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare to all,” he said.
The return of the first cohort to class marks the beginning of the next stage of their training after the completion of their first-semester academic and practical requirements.
Mr Goodman wished the trainees well as they continue their specialist programmes, while the Ministry maintains its push to expand specialist training opportunities across the country.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
