The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has strongly criticised recent developments at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), describing the treatment of medical staff and the dismissal of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as unjust and an abuse of power. In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 23, the GMA condemned the actions of the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, during a recent visit to the hospital, calling the CEO’s dismissal “an affront to due process.”
The association expressed solidarity with the affected medical personnel and called for accountability and restraint from public officials. “The manner in which the dismissal was carried out is an affront to due process and abuse of power by the Hon. Minister of Health. The GMA stands in solidarity with our colleagues in the wake of these injustices being perpetuated,” the statement said.
The association also criticised what it called a “media audit” of the recent patient death at the facility, warning that it breached patient confidentiality and exposed the hospital to legal risks while prejudicing public opinion. According to the GMA, the head of the Emergency Unit has since received threats and has been subjected to cyber-bullying, endangering his safety and mental well-being. “These acts, if continued, have the tendency of demoralising committed workers and reducing public confidence in the health system,” the GMA noted, while reiterating the need for proper investigative procedures instead of public blame games.
The GMA demanded an unqualified apology from the Minister of Health and the Tamale North MP for what it described as “unwarranted attacks” on the hospital staff.
Additionally, the association called on the hospital’s management to ensure due process is followed in resolving the matter, safeguard the safety of its staff, and provide psychological support for those affected. The GMA affirmed its commitment to working toward long-term solutions to the systemic challenges in Ghana’s healthcare sector and warned that it is closely monitoring the situation and will advise its members accordingly.
Read the full statement below
By: Prince Adu-Owusu
