The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called for the immediate withdrawal of the directive suspending the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), warning that the decision risks deepening tensions within the health sector and undermining efforts to address challenges facing emergency healthcare delivery.
In a strongly worded statement issued after an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC), the Association described the suspension directive issued by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, as unjustified and without sufficient basis.
The GMA argued that decisions taken by the management of KATH regarding the hospital’s emergency services were consistent with professional standards and aimed at safeguarding patient safety rather than denying healthcare services to the public.
According to the Association, measures implemented by hospital management helped redirect patients to nearby health facilities while specialists from KATH provided support to ensure continued access to emergency care. It maintained that the intervention contributed to the decongestion of the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Centre and enabled the resumption of new admissions within 24 hours.
The Association therefore rejected the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and demanded his reinstatement within three working days.
“The initial query issued and subsequent directive for suspension were without basis and ought not to have been occasioned,” the statement said.
The GMA further threw its support behind the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, which has taken steps to withdraw certain services until the suspension is reversed and measures are put in place to strengthen emergency care capacity at the hospital.
Beyond the suspension itself, the Association expressed concern about comments and actions it believes have negatively affected morale among health professionals.
It accused the Health Minister of actions that have allegedly fuelled public hostility towards health workers and contributed to growing dissatisfaction within the profession.
The GMA urged the Minister to adopt a more collaborative approach in resolving the dispute and called for constructive engagement aimed at improving conditions within the health sector.
“We call on the Minister to cease these hostile and confrontational actions and engage constructively to ensure improved morale and the continued support of health workers towards achieving the objectives of the sector,” the Association stated.
While acknowledging ongoing discussions between the KATH Board and the leadership of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, the GMA warned that it may be compelled to take further action if the impasse is not resolved.
The Association has, however, appealed to its members to remain calm as efforts continue to find a lasting solution to the dispute.
The latest development marks a significant escalation in the controversy surrounding the management of emergency services at Ghana’s second-largest referral hospital and sets the stage for further negotiations between government, hospital management, and organised medical professionals.
