Doctors at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) are considering industrial action following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, over the temporary halt of emergency admissions.
Sources within the hospital indicate that dissatisfaction among medical staff is growing, raising the possibility of a strike. The leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is expected to meet on Saturday, June 6, to assess the situation and decide on the way forward.
The tension follows a directive from the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, instructing the KATH Board to suspend Dr. Baidoo for two weeks. The Minister argued that the CEO’s decision to announce a temporary suspension of emergency admissions contradicted instructions issued by President John Dramani Mahama.
However, hospital unions have defended Dr. Baidoo, insisting that the decision was collectively agreed upon by health authorities as a necessary measure to address severe overcrowding and operational challenges at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Centre.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, Chairman of the Komfo Anokye Doctors’ Association (KADA), Dr. Michael Leat, revealed that labour unions at the hospital would soon meet to determine their response, which he described as likely to be firm and decisive.
Dr. Leat questioned why only the CEO was being sanctioned when the decision involved several stakeholders, including the Ashanti Regional Health Administration and other health facilities in the region. He maintained that frontline healthcare professionals considered the temporary suspension of admissions the most appropriate response under the circumstances.
KATH announced the temporary suspension of emergency admissions on June 3 due to mounting pressure on its emergency unit. The move generated public concern because of the hospital’s vital role as a major referral centre serving the Ashanti Region and beyond.
Since Dr. Baidoo’s suspension, sections of the medical community have expressed strong opposition, with many viewing the action as unfair. As unions prepare to announce their position after Saturday’s meeting, concerns are growing that the standoff could escalate into industrial action, potentially affecting healthcare services at one of Ghana’s busiest hospitals
Source: citinews
