By Albert Futukpor
Tamale, April 25, GNA – The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health on Thursday, appealed to doctors at Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), to call off their indefinite strike and return to work.
Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, on were on a working visit to Tamale, to engage with Management of health facilities in the Northern Region on their operations as part of their ongoing nationwide routine visits to health facilities, used the opportunity to meet the striking doctors of TTH.
Doctors at TTH announced an indefinite strike on Wednesday and withdrew General Outpatient Department (OPD), Antenatal Clinic, Specialist Clinic, and Paediatric OPD services to register their displeasure with how Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, engaged some of them on his unannounced visit to the facility on Tuesday.
The doctors said they were disrespected and demanded a public apology from Mr Akandoh before calling off their strike.
They also demanded provision of essential logistics to facilitate their work.
Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, the Chairman, Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, at a press conference after Members of the Committee met with Management of the TTH, and also with the striking doctors, said the strike was affecting health care delivery to the public, hence the need for them to call it off as authorities worked to address the issues.
He said “We are on a routine visit, but we had to revise our schedule to address the recent incident involving the Minister of Health’s visit. We urge the doctors and staff to approach the issue with understanding so it can be resolved amicably”.
He said the visit had exposed Members of the Committee to some challenges facing the hospital including inadequate logistics, water shortage and unreliable electricity supply.
Dr Nawaane assured Management of TTH that the challenges identified at the facility would be presented to the Minister for Health and Parliament to address them.
He expressed the need for improved internally generated funds to support the operations of the hospital.
Dr Salifu Alhassan Tiah, a Member of TTH Management, commended the Committee Members for engaging the striking doctors and expressed optimism that the doctors would soon call off the strike.
GNA
EA/CAA