Strike at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital called off after crunch meeting with Regional Minister
KUMASI, Ghana
Patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) can expect normal healthcare services to resume after the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, announced a positive resolution with striking doctors, nurses, and midwives on Sunday evening.
The strike, which began Saturday, June 6, and threatened to cripple operations at Ghana’s second-largest referral hospital, followed the Health Minister’s decision to suspend KATH’s Chief Executive Officer after ordering a temporary halt on new admissions at the Accident and Emergency Unit due to severe congestion.
Minister Secures Agreement After Marathon Talks
Dr. Amoakohene met with the leadership of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, the Ashanti Regional chapter of the Ghana Medical Association, and representatives of the Nurses and Midwives in Kumasi on Sunday, June 7, to resolve the impasse.
Speaking to Citi News after the meeting, Dr. Amoakohene said the outcome was positive and that the associations’ leadership would communicate details to their members and the public.“The outcome of the meeting was positive, and the leadership of the Associations would communicate the details to the public,” he said.
The Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service and other senior health officials attended the meeting. The suspended KATH CEO was represented by a senior staff member of the hospital.
Strike Triggered by CEO Suspension, A&E Congestion
Tension at KATH escalated after Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh suspended the hospital’s CEO for directing a temporary suspension of new admissions at the A&E unit. The decision was made to address overcrowding that had put patients and staff under pressure.
In response, members of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association laid down their tools on Saturday. Nurses and midwives later joined the strike to demand the CEO’s reinstatement, bringing healthcare delivery at the hospital to a near standstill.
The A&E unit at KATH handles thousands of emergency cases monthly from Ashanti and adjoining regions, making any disruption a major concern for patients and families.
Long-Term Plans to Ease Pressure on KATH
Dr. Amoakohene said Sunday’s meeting also focused on immediate and long-term measures to reduce congestion at KATH.
He disclosed plans to operationalize four satellite hospitals: Afari, Trede, Oforikrom, and Sewua. According to him, bringing those facilities fully online would help absorb patient load and ease pressure on KATH’s emergency and outpatient services.
“The meeting also allowed adopting measures aimed at addressing the pressure on the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,” he noted.
Associations to Consult Members Before Final Statement
While the minister described the talks as successful, the leadership of the doctors, nurses, and midwives associations said they would first convene meetings with their members to brief them on the agreement.
A formal public statement confirming the call-off of the strike is expected after those consultations.
The Ministry of Health has not yet announced whether the suspension of the KATH CEO will be lifted as part of the agreement.
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