He said Africa bears 24 per cent of the global disease burden and that policy makers would have to be innovative, mobilize and utilize resources, and tailor health services towards attaining Universal Health Coverage.

Dr Dovlo, who was speaking in Ho at the second Professor John Evans Atta-Mills Memorial Lectures organised by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) as part of its Leadership Lecture Series, said population increase, the epidemiological transition as well as the economic transition of Ghana to middle income status, increased the demand for a robust health service workforce.

The lecture was on the topic: “The people who work for our health- finding a fit for purpose workforce for the Sustainable Development Goals.”  

Dr Dovlo said Ghana was one of the eleven African states that reached the minimum threshold density of 2.3/1000 in the health worker per population ratio, and underscored the need for the country to consider its disease structures and design strategies to fight them instead of blindly copying methods of other countries.

He said the service has been neglecting auxiliary health officers and that more analysts, planners, and strategic thinkers among others would be needed to expand its scope of reach.

Dr Dovlo said universities and health institutions have a major role to play and urged that they design courses to equip all sectors of the workforce.

He said there is the need for the criteria for admissions to be reconsidered to enable potential students from rural areas and low performing schools to join the workforce.