The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has queried the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, over the temporary closure of the Accident and Emergency Centre on June 2.
The Management of the Hospital announced the temporary closure due to an unusually high number of emergency cases.
In a statement signed by the Head of its Public Affairs Unit, Mr. Kwame Frimpong, and released in Kum asi on June 2, the hospital noted that the A&E Centre, which was originally designed as a 37-bed facility had 61 patients on admission at its Orange, Yellow and Red critical wards with 34 others in a queue waiting for their turn.
However, in a letter sighted by 3news, signed by the Chief Director, Desmond Boateng, the CEO of KATH has been given a 24-hour ultimatum to justify why disciplinanry action should not be taken against him.
“The Ministry of Health has taken note of a statement with the above caption making rounds on social media…, affirming the decision of hospital management on the inability of the emergency center to admit new cases.
This is contrary to a clear directive of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana to hospitals not to turn away emergency cases,” the Chief Director wrote.
He added, “You are by this letter requested to appear before the Hon. Minister of Health on or before 12noon on Thursday, June 4, 2026, to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for contradicting a clear directive of the H.E. President of the Republic of Ghana.”
This is despite the explanation in the KATH statement that “Management of the hospital is engaging the leadership of the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate to see how other hospitals in the region could be made to hold the fort pending improvement in the situation at the A&E Centre of the hospital.”
“The current situation is being periodically reviewed as our emergency physician specialists and other medical staff are doing their best to manage the surge in cases at the centre and new admissions will be allowed as soon as things get under control”, the statement concluded.
