Hundreds of patients seeking medical attention at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi have reportedly been left unattended as doctors and nurses protest the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.
The industrial action has disrupted services at one of Ghana’s largest referral hospitals, leaving patients and their relatives struggling to access healthcare.
The protest follows a decision by the Ministry of Health to suspend the hospital’s CEO for two weeks to allow for what it describes as an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the temporary closure of the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Centre.
In a statement, the Ministry said the suspension was an administrative measure intended to ensure transparency, accountability and a thorough review of the events that led to the shutdown of the 37-bed emergency facility.
The Ministry has also appealed to health workers to return to work, expressing concern over the impact of the disruption on patients, particularly those in need of urgent medical care.
Despite the appeal, doctors and nurses at the facility are reportedly continuing with the protest, resulting in significant delays and interruptions in healthcare delivery.
According to reports by JoyNews, scenes at the hospital reflected growing frustration among patients, many of whom waited for several hours without receiving medical attention.
The situation has been further complicated by the intervention of the Health Workers Union of the Trades Union Congress (TUC-Ghana), KATH branch, which has publicly expressed support for the position taken by the hospital’s medical staff.
The standoff stems from tensions surrounding the suspension of the CEO, a development linked to the temporary closure of the Accident and Emergency Centre due to congestion and operational challenges.
As the impasse continues, authorities have yet to announce when full services at the hospital will resume. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on both management and health workers to find a resolution and restore normal healthcare services at the facility.
The ongoing disruption has raised concerns among patients and stakeholders about access to critical healthcare services at one of the country’s key referral hospitals.
