Health Workers Should Petition Constitutional Review Committee to Amend Health Professional Regulation Act Francis Appiah Hints

Story by Kaakyire, Former News Presenter of Kingdom FM Accra and Freelance Journalist

Renowned health advocate and media personality, Francis Appiah, has made a passionate appeal to health workers across Ghana to petition the Constitutional Review Committee to amend the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, stating that the current law is doing more harm than good to the country health sector.

In an exclusive interview, Mr. Appiah explained that while the Act was initially intended to ensure professional standards and regulation in the health sector, it has instead become a stumbling block, especially for non-doctor health professionals such as physician assistants, nurses, midwives, and allied health workers.

This Act is no longer protecting or supporting the real drivers of primary healthcare in Ghana, Mr. Appiah stated. It is high time health workers petition the Constitutional Review Committee to initiate its amendment.

A Sector Under Pressure

Mr. Appiah lamented that many professionals are frustrated by bureaucratic bottlenecks, including delays in licensing, overly restrictive supervisory clauses, and policies that limit professional growth and independence. He stressed that the law, as it stands, stifles innovation, limits entrepreneurship, and contributes to the brain drain in the health sector.

re losing capable and committed professionals to foreign countries not because they want to leave Ghana, but because the system here makes it hard for them to thrive, added

A Call for Unity and Reform

Francis Appiah called on health worker unions, associations, and individual practitioners to come together and submit a strong petition demanding a review of the Act. He believes the future of Ghana health system depends on giving all health professionals the freedom, recognition, and enabling environment to perform their duties effectively.

He proposed key reforms including:

Decentralized and timely licensing systems

Representation of all health cadres in regulatory councils

Fair and transparent disciplinary structures

Support for private practice and professional independence

A legal framework that matches current health realities

Time for Action

If physician assistants, nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals don’t demand a seat at the table, they will continue to be governed by laws that don’t reflect their contribution to healthcare,Mr. Appiah warned. The petition must begin now. Enough is enough.