By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA
Kumasi, June 6, GNA – Medical doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have declared an indefinite withdrawal of services beginning Saturday, June 6, in protest against the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo.
The decision was announced in a notice of industrial action issued by the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA) following an emergency meeting held on June 5, to deliberate on recent developments at the Hospital.
The Association said members expressed concern over the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer, arguing that measures taken by Hospital management to deal with severe congestion at the Emergency Department were aimed at safeguarding patient care rather than warranting disciplinary action.
According to the statement, doctors unanimously supported management’s decision to temporarily halt new emergency admissions and coordinate with surrounding health facilities at the height of the congestion crisis, describing the move as a necessary clinical and administrative intervention to prevent avoidable loss of life and ensure patient safety.
KADA noted that KATH, which served as the main tertiary referral centre for the middle and northern sectors of Ghana, continued to operate under significant infrastructure constraints despite growing patient numbers.
The Association said the challenges facing the Hospital reflected longstanding systemic issues that required urgent policy and infrastructure interventions rather than punitive measures against healthcare leaders.
It further condemned the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer, describing the action as unjustified and counterproductive to efforts aimed at addressing the underlying problems confronting the hospital.
As part of resolutions adopted at the meeting, KADA announced a total withdrawal of services by medical doctors at KATH effective 0600 hours on Saturday, June 6.
The Association said the industrial action would continue until the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer was reviewed and reversed, and the hospital’s Board established clear policies on the management of situations where emergency capacity had been exceeded.
It also called on the Ministry of Health to provide timelines for the operationalisation of the Sewua Hospital and the Afari Military Hospital, as well as the retooling of KATH and other health facilities in the Ashanti Region to help ease pressure on the teaching hospital.
Additionally, the doctors said they would engage the public and other stakeholders through the media to highlight what they described as the chronic mismatch between patient demand and available infrastructure and resources within the health sector.
KADA stressed that the strike action was not intended to undermine healthcare delivery but rather to draw national attention to issues relating to patient and caregiver safety, clinical governance, professional accountability, and the sustainability of healthcare services at the country’s second-largest teaching Hospital.
The Association appealed to the Board of KATH to engage the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to secure an amicable resolution to the impasse and avert further disruption to healthcare delivery.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim