The President of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA), Dr Michael Leat, has disclosed that doctors were close to reaching an agreement to resolve the ongoing strike at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) following a meeting with the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, but a statement from the Ministry of Health worsened tensions and stalled progress.
According to him, discussions during the meeting with the Regional Minister had progressed positively, with indications that the industrial action could soon be called off.
However, he said the situation changed after the Ministry of Health issued a public statement defending the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo.
The Ministry, in its statement issued on Sunday, June 7, described the ongoing industrial action by doctors and nurses at KATH as “unfortunate” and maintained that the suspension of the CEO was a necessary administrative decision taken in the interest of accountability, patient safety, and compliance with established health sector procedures.
But speaking to Citi News, Dr Leat said the timing and content of the statement triggered anger among striking members and derailed what had been a constructive engagement.
“The strike was a decision taken by a group and so we presented it to them and n the course of our discussion to see the next step, we saw a release from the Minister for Health which threw off the discussion. In fact people were angry and we had to end the meeting. As it stands we are still on strike. We will still be taking steps to make sure we go back to our people, talk to them through more discussions and see how best we come out positively,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Frank Amoakohene had earlier disclosed that a positive resolution had been reached during a crunch meeting with leadership of doctors, nurses and midwives at KATH aimed at getting them to call off the strike.
The 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 in a bid to resolve the impasse that has disrupted healthcare delivery at the facility.
The strike began on Saturday, June 6, following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, after a directive to temporarily halt new admissions at the Accident and Emergency Unit due to congestion.
The action by doctors was later joined by the KATH chapter of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), escalating the standoff and nearly grounding services at one of the country’s busiest referral hospitals.
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