Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, says a positive agreement has been reached with doctors, nurses, and midwives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) following discussions aimed at ending the ongoing strike.
The meeting was held after doctors at KATH began a strike on Saturday, June 6, in protest against the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer by the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.
The CEO was suspended after the hospital temporarily stopped admitting new patients at its Accident and Emergency Unit because of severe overcrowding.
The situation became more serious when nurses and midwives joined the strike in support of the doctors and demanded the reinstatement of the hospital’s CEO.
In an effort to resolve the crisis, Dr. Amoakohene met with the leadership of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Medical Association, and representatives of the Nurses and Midwives Association on Sunday, June 7.
According to the Regional Minister, the discussions were successful and produced a positive outcome.
He said the leadership of the various associations would communicate the details of the agreement to their members and the public.
Dr. Amoakohene explained that the meeting also focused on finding long-term solutions to the challenges facing KATH, especially the growing pressure on the hospital caused by increasing patient numbers.
He further revealed that plans are underway to make hospitals at Afari, Trede, Oforikrom, and Sewua fully operational.
These facilities are expected to help reduce the burden on KATH and improve healthcare delivery in the Ashanti Region.
The meeting was attended by the Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service and other key health officials.
The suspended KATH CEO was not present but was represented by a member of the hospital’s staff.
Following the meeting, the leaders of the doctors, nurses, and midwives indicated that they would first meet with their members to discuss the outcome before making any official public announcement on their next course of action.
The development is expected to bring relief to patients and families who were affected by the industrial action, which had threatened to disrupt healthcare services at one of Ghana’s busiest referral hospitals.
