The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, has announced a breakthrough in efforts to end the industrial action by doctors, nurses and midwives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital following a high-level meeting with leaders of the affected health professional groups.
The emergency meeting, held on Sunday, June 7, brought together the leadership of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Medical Association, and representatives of nurses and midwives to find a lasting solution to the dispute that threatened healthcare delivery in the Ashanti Region.
The strike was triggered after the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh. The decision followed a directive by the hospital’s management to temporarily halt new admissions at the Accident and Emergency Unit due to severe congestion.
Doctors at the hospital commenced their strike on Saturday, June 6, with nurses and midwives subsequently joining the action in solidarity, demanding the reinstatement of the CEO.
Speaking after the meeting, Dr. Amoakohene indicated that discussions had yielded positive results and expressed optimism that normal healthcare services would soon resume.
“We have had fruitful engagements with the leadership of the various associations, and the outcome has been positive. The leadership will communicate the details to their members and subsequently make their position known to the public,” he said.
The Regional Minister noted that the meeting also focused on long-term measures to address the persistent pressure on KATH, which serves as the premier referral facility for northern Ghana and parts of the middle belt.
According to him, government is working towards the operationalisation of key health facilities, including the Afari, Trede, Oforikrom and Sewua hospitals, to decongest KATH and improve access to healthcare services across the region.
He stressed that expanding healthcare infrastructure and strengthening referral systems remained critical to reducing the burden on the teaching hospital.
The meeting was attended by the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service and other health sector officials. The suspended KATH Chief Executive Officer was not present but was represented by a staff member of the hospital.
Meanwhile, leaders of the doctors, nurses and midwives associations have indicated that they will hold separate meetings with their members to brief them on the outcome of the discussions before issuing an official statement on the next course of action.
The development is expected to bring relief to patients and families who have been affected by disruptions in healthcare services at the country’s second-largest referral hospital.
The industrial action arose amid concerns over leadership decisions at KATH and the management of patient congestion at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Centre.
The strike highlighted the growing strain on healthcare infrastructure in the Ashanti Region and renewed calls for the completion and full operationalisation of satellite hospitals to support healthcare delivery.
Health stakeholders are hopeful that the latest engagement will pave the way for industrial harmony and uninterrupted medical services at KATH.
