A concerned Physician Assistant, Robert Abotiyire A-ansim, is calling on government to urgently reconsider its approach to strengthening healthcare delivery in rural and underserved communities.
His appeal follows reports that out of more than 700 newly qualified medical doctors posted to deprived areas, only a handful have reported to their duty stations.
According to him, the low turnout is not surprising, given the well-documented systemic challenges associated with rural postings, limited infrastructure, inadequate equipment, poor accommodation, and the absence of meaningful incentives to motivate health professionals to stay.
He argues that these long-standing issues continue to discourage doctors from accepting rural assignments, despite the country’s dire need for improved healthcare access in remote areas.
However, Abotiyire points out a critical but often overlooked resource: over 3,000 trained and licensed Physician Assistants who remain unemployed nationwide.
He stresses that PAs already possess the required clinical competencies to deliver essential primary healthcare services, adding that unlike medical doctors, their deployment does not require additional training, incentive packages, or special interventions.
“From consulting on over 200 patients daily, to stabilizing emergencies, conducting minor surgeries, managing deliveries, leading disease surveillance, supervising CHPS facilities, and ensuring revenue accountability, PAs remain the engine room of primary care in Ghana’s rural health infrastructure.” He stressed.
The Physician Assistant insists that the solution to the rural healthcare gap is both simple and immediate—the government must issue financial clearance without delay to recruit the unemployed PAs who are available, willing, and ready to serve.
He warns that continued delays will worsen health disparities, strain the few professionals working in deprived communities, and deny vulnerable populations timely access to care.
Abotiyire reiterates that empowering unemployed Physician Assistants to fill critical service gaps is a cost-effective, sustainable, and urgent step toward strengthening Ghana’s healthcare system.
