The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called on doctors and health professionals at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to end their ongoing strike and return to the negotiation table in the interest of patients and the nation’s healthcare system.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, April 24, Mr. Akandoh said he understood the concerns raised by staff but emphasized that dialogue remained the most constructive path forward.
“My humble appeal to the wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at the Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interest. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward,” he said.
His appeal comes in the wake of growing tensions at TTH, where doctors suspended emergency and outpatient services in protest over what they described as “unwarranted attacks” from the Minister and Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini.
The unrest intensified after Mr. Akandoh relieved the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Atik Adam, of his duties following allegations of mismanagement and medical negligence related to the death of a patient.
The Minister had paid an unannounced visit to the hospital on Wednesday to assess operations, after which the dismissal was formally announced.
While addressing the media, Mr. Akandoh also pointed to systemic issues in the management of resources within the health sector. He stressed the need for a sustainable approach to equipment procurement and maintenance, noting that over-reliance on government donations was not viable in the long term.
“There are some of the things we easily do with our internally generated funds,” he explained. “It is just not sustainable for the government to keep donating equipment to health facilities, and at the end of the day, when the equipment is obsolete, we run back to the government for money to either maintain or replace this equipment.”
However, his visit and subsequent actions have drawn criticism from the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), which condemned his conduct and demanded a public apology.
The standoff has left patients stranded at TTH, with many expressing frustration over the disruption of medical services.
