The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health has appealed to striking doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to return to work, following a high-stakes engagement with hospital management and the Doctors Association.
The call comes amid growing concerns over deteriorating infrastructure, lack of essential medical supplies, and an alarming staff exodus due to inadequate government support.
Led by Chairman, Hon. Mark Kurt Nawaane the committee visited the hospital on Thursday 24th of April 2025, to assess the facility’s challenges first hand and to listen to the grievances of health professionals, many of whom have laid downed their tools in protest against the Minister of Health, Hon Kwabena Mintah Akondoh seeking to make him render an unqualified apology following the heated exchange with the Head of Emergency Ward at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
During discussions with management of the facility, Medical Director Dr. Salifu Alhassan appealed for urgent refurbishment of the maternity ward and called on medical staff to stand in solidarity with personnel to ensure critical services continue.
The committee later met in a closed-door meeting with the TTH Doctors Association. The president of the association, Dr. Priscilla Alhassan laid out the group’s demands which includes unqualified apology from the Health Minister, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and immediately supplies of basic medical essentials before they resume work. She also called for financial clearance for specialized medical officers and swift action to address the facility’s rapidly deteriorating infrastructure. She again warned of a worrying trend of doctors leaving the hospital for better opportunities in private institutions, due to what she described as chronic underfunding and lack of basic amenities like water and power.
In her address, Dr. Dzifa Ahadzi, a Senior Physician and Cardiologist underscored the life-threatening consequences of the hospital’s lack of a Cardiac Catheterization Lab, a vital facility for treating heart attacks, despite the availability of skilled personnel,
Radiologists at the facility also raised concerns about non-functional imaging equipment, stating that delays in diagnosis for conditions like stroke, cancer, and pulmonary embolism are putting lives at risk.
Despite these pressing challenges, the committee reiterated its call for calm and unity among healthcare workers. “We understand your frustrations,” but we urge you to resume duty while we continue engagements with the Ministry of Health to address these critical needs,” said Hon. Mark Kurt Nawaane,
The chairman described the visit as “productive” and praised the staff for their honesty and dedication, assuring them that their concerns would be urgently relayed to the appropriate authorities.
The standoff at TTH, a major referral center in northern Ghana, has sparked concern among residents and the wider health community, with many hoping that swift government intervention will restore normalcy and prevent further disruptions in care delivery.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
