Kumasi: The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called for the immediate cancelation of the directive issued by the Minister of Health, Mr. Kwabena Minta Akandoh, to suspend the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The Association, in a statement issued on Sunday and jointly signed by Prof. Dr. Ernest Yorke, President of the GMA, and Dr. Richard Selormey, General Secretary, described the action as unjustified and without basis.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Association said the management of KATH acted appropriately in implementing measures to address congestion at the hospital's Accident and Emergency Centre to ensure patient safety. The statement issued by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the GMA after an emergency meeting said the decision by KATH management to temporarily redirect some patients to nearby health facilities was consistent with best practices in healthcare leadership and patient safety.
The statement emphasized that the actions taken did not abandon patients but redirected them to ensure they received care at nearby hospitals with support from specialists from KATH. The Association highlighted the coordinated efforts involving the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, the Regional Coordinating Council, health facilities, and health workers, which resulted in a significant decongestion of the emergency centre and enabled the resumption of new admissions within 24 hours.
The NEC considered both the initial query issued to the CEO and the subsequent directive for his suspension as unwarranted. It called for an immediate withdrawal of the directive and for the CEO's reinstatement within the next three working days. The GMA also declared its full support for the decision by the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA) to suspend services until the suspension is withdrawn and measures are implemented to improve emergency care capacity in the Kumasi enclave.
The Association acknowledged ongoing engagements between the KATH Board and the leadership of KADA aimed at resolving the impasse. Furthermore, the NEC expressed dissatisfaction at the actions of the Minister of Health, which it said had incited the public against health workers. It warned that such actions were contributing to declining morale among health professionals and increasing incidents of violence against healthcare workers.
The GMA urged the Minister to adopt a more constructive approach in engaging health workers to support efforts to improve healthcare delivery. It cautioned that if such acts continue, the Association and its members would have no choice but to take remedial actions to prevent chaos in the sector. The Association called on its members to remain calm while it explored avenues for resolving the matter, adding that the NEC would continue to monitor developments and communicate its next course of action.