Health Ministry Defends Suspension of KATH CEO
The Ministry of Health has described the strike by the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KODA) and Nurses Chapter at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) as “unfortunate,” saying the suspension of CEO Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo was taken in the interest of institutional accountability and patient safety.
In a statement signed by its Public Relations Unit on June 7, 2026, the Ministry said the CEO, an appointee of President John Dramani Mahama, was suspended for “non-compliance with established administrative procedures relating to the closure of a public health facility.”
According to the Ministry, the suspension followed the CEO’s public announcement of a cessation of admissions into KATH’s Accident and Emergency Unit without prior authorisation from the KATH Board and the Ministry.
The Ministry said this was inconsistent with a directive from President Mahama during his State of the Nation Address that “patients seeking emergency care receive the necessary attention and are not turned away under any circumstances.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, this has nothing to do with the internal arrangements agreed between the hospital and the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate. Further, he was suspended by the administrative head of the hospital (CEO) and not as a Medical Officer,” the statement clarified.
The Ministry said the suspension is an administrative measure to facilitate an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the closure and provide remedies going forward.
While acknowledging concerns raised by striking doctors and nurses, the Ministry stressed that “dialogue and established dispute resolution channels remain the best path to addressing grievances.”
It urged all affected staff to reconsider their decision and return to work “in the interest of patients and the general population.”
The Ghana Health Service has been directed to implement immediate mitigating measures to ensure emergency healthcare services remain accessible while engagement with staff continues.
The Ministry recognised the “long-standing operational challenges” facing KATH’s Accident and Emergency Centre, but emphasised that decisions with significant implications for emergency care at a major tertiary referral hospital must follow established protocols.
It listed interventions by the Minister for Health since assuming office, including retooling major hospitals, introducing a National Bed Management System, preparatory work for a National Emergency Centre at Burma Camp, completion of selected Agenda 111 projects, and establishing Cathlabs at KATH, Korle Bu, and Tamale Teaching Hospital.
On the Sewua Hospital Project, the Ministry said work is progressing steadily, and the facility is expected to be completed before the end of 2026.
The Ministry reiterated that it has not adopted an adversarial posture toward health workers, and that its actions have been guided by “accountability, professionalism, and partnership.”
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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