The Association of Health Service Administrators, Ghana (AHSAG), has called on the government and the health sector authorities to address delays in the appointment of hospital administrators, strengthen financial management systems and ensure the effective implementation of the Free Primary Health Care (FPHC) programme.
The association said more than 100 Principal Health Service Administrators shortlisted for consideration for appointment as Hospital Administrators were still awaiting interviews, creating uncertainty and threatening staff morale.
It urged the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other relevant authorities to expedite the appointment process, communicate clear timelines for interviews and postings, and secure financial clearance to recruit newly qualified Health Service Administrators and other essential support-service personnel.
The association also called for a review of financial management roles under the Ghana Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), citing concerns that some Health Service Administrators and Pharmacists had not received system access corresponding to their approved responsibilities.
These concerns formed part of a 10-point communiqué jointly signed by its President and General Secretary, Rev. Ezekiel Amadu Daribi and Abdul Rashid Mohammed respectively, issued at the association’s 49th Annual General Conference and Continuing Professional Education programme held at the Modern City Hotel in Tamale, in the Northern Region, from October 19 to 23, 2026.
Free primary healthcare
Held on the theme, “Building Resilient Free Primary Healthcare Systems for Universal Health Coverage: The Leadership Role of Health Service Administrators,” the conference commended the government for introducing the FPHC Programme to improve access to essential health care, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities.
However, the association stressed that the programme’s success would depend on effective planning, coordination, logistics, maintenance, resource management and accountability.
It called on the Ministry of Health (MoH), the GHS, development partners and other stakeholders to involve Health Service Administrators in programme planning, implementation, resource allocation and decision-making.
The association also urged the authorities to provide implementing facilities with the administrative capacity and operational resources needed to deliver the programme.
Staff discipline
It called on hospital administrators, facility heads and other managers to strengthen staff supervision, attendance monitoring, duty-roster compliance and performance management.
The association identified negligence, absenteeism, lateness, abandonment of duty, breaches of confidentiality and failure to comply with approved procedures as forms of misconduct that could compromise patient safety and undermine public confidence in health institutions.
It urged healthcare institutions to intensify staff education on professional ethics, confidentiality, patient rights and customer care.
GIFMIS access
On financial management, AHSAG called on the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department to review GIFMIS role configurations to ensure they aligned with approved responsibilities and financial controls.
It said the review should identify affected functions and ensure that authorised officers had the necessary system access to perform their duties.
The association, however, stressed that any adjustments must comply with segregation of duties, approval limits and applicable public financial management requirements.
AHSAG called on the government to ensure sustainable funding for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, which supports patients requiring treatment for high-cost conditions, including cancers and other non-communicable diseases.
The association recommended regular assessments of financing needs, transparent reporting and strong accountability arrangements to sustain the fund alongside the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Free Primary Health Care Programme.
