The Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA) has convened its 28th annual conference in Accra. This significant gathering focuses on critical issues of health worker migration and patient safety across the African continent. Medical regulators from various African nations are participating in the event.
The conference, scheduled from August 23 to 27, 2026, is taking place at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel. Its central theme is “Regulation for Safer Communities Towards Universal Health Coverage.” This theme highlights the crucial link between effective regulation and public health outcomes.
This conference fits into Ghana’s broader efforts to manage its healthcare sector and ensure quality service delivery. Ghana, like many African nations, faces challenges with healthcare professional migration. The discussions aim to create a coordinated approach to these movements. This approach seeks to protect patients while facilitating necessary professional mobility. The country's Medical and Dental Council plays a key role in these regulatory efforts.
Dr. Divine Ndonbi Banyubala, Registrar of Ghana’s Medical and Dental Council, highlighted the importance of the conference. He stated that the increasing movement of healthcare professionals requires stronger coordination among regulatory authorities. Dr. Banyubala made these remarks on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, August 20. He stressed that mobility itself is not a problem, but it must be “safe, transparent, and properly managed.”
The conference will address the African Healthcare Practitioner Regulatory Policy Outlook. This outlook examines how African countries can strengthen their regulatory systems. The goal is to align these systems to respond effectively to the cross-border movement of healthcare professionals. Stronger regulatory coordination is essential to maintain professional and safety standards for practitioners moving between jurisdictions.
Dr. Banyubala also connected healthcare regulation to the broader objective of achieving universal health coverage. He argued that access to healthcare must always go hand in hand with quality and patient safety. Expanding access without guaranteeing quality could undermine the benefits of universal health coverage. He emphasized that there is little value in expanded access if quality and safety cannot be assured.
Ghana’s approach to managing health worker migration involves collaboration among government institutions. Dr. Banyubala cited cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This collaboration is part of Ghana's efforts to manage the movement of healthcare workers. He stressed that protecting patients must remain central to any policy governing health worker mobility. “Whilst practitioners may cross borders, patient safety must cross with them,” he affirmed.
The conference provides a vital platform for African medical regulators to exchange ideas. They will work to strengthen regulatory approaches. These efforts aim to protect patients while facilitating the safe and responsible mobility of healthcare professionals across the continent. The outcomes are expected to influence national policies and regional cooperation in healthcare regulation. This will ultimately contribute to more resilient and safer health systems in Africa.