Recent events at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have drawn harsh criticism from the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), which has called the hospital’s CEO’s removal and the treatment of medical staff unfair and an abuse of authority.
The GMA called the CEO’s termination “an affront to due process” in a statement released on Wednesday, April 23, denouncing the acts of Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, during a recent visit to the hospital.
In addition to expressing sympathy for the impacted medical staff, the group urged public leaders to exercise prudence and accountability.
“The Hon. Minister of Health abused his authority and violated due process in the way the firing was handled. Following the continuation of these abuses, the GMA stands in sympathy with our colleagues,” the statement read.
The group also attacked what it described as a “media audit” of the facility’s recent patient death, claiming that it violated patient confidentiality, put the hospital at danger for legal action, and swayed public opinion.
Since then, the chief of the Emergency Unit has been threatened and cyberbullied, putting his safety and mental health at risk, the GMA reports.
The GMA reiterated the need for appropriate investigative procedures rather than public blame games, noting that “these acts, if continued, have the tendency of demoralising committed workers and reducing public confidence in the health system.”
For what it called “unwarranted attacks” on Tamale Teaching Hospital workers, the GMA called for an unconditional apology from the Tamale North MP and the Health Minister.
The group also urged the hospital’s management to protect the safety of its employees, provide psychological support for individuals impacted, and make sure due process is followed in resolving the issue.
The GMA cautioned that it is keeping a careful eye on the situation and will provide its members with appropriate advice, while also reaffirming its dedication to seeking long-term solutions to the fundamental problems facing Ghana’s healthcare system.
See the complete statement below.
