A labour relations expert, Austin Gamey has advised the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to invite the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) for a meeting.
According to him, the current impasse between the Minister of Health and doctors working at the Tamale Teaching Hospital does not augur well for effective patient care.
“If I were in his shoes, I will instruct my Chief Director to invite GMA for a meeting on either Monday or Tuesday next week to have a conversation around what happened at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, to enable both sides come to terms with the reasoning why these things happened. And GMA will also understand their side of the story, they would also understand GMA’s side of the story then they move forward,” he suggested.
Mr Gamey made the suggestion during an interview with Alfred Ocansey on TV3’s Ghana Tonight Show on April 23.
He was contributing to discussions on the impasse between the Ghana Medical Association and Mr Akandoh which resulted from open confrontation between a doctor at the hospital and the former over circumstances leading to the death of a patient.
The confrontation happened during a familiarisation visit by the Health Minister .
Among others, the Ghana Medical Association has urged the Minister of Health to apologise for his conduct. In the midst of this development, the Minister of Health has dismissed the Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital, Dr Atiku. He has been replaced with Dr Abukari Bawah Abdulai.
Mr Gamey said “the Minister must use sound labour management practices. They have no choice. It’s about talking. It separates us from other beings that live elsewhere. We are human beings. Let’s get together and talk gently. Let’s talk to one another openly.”
Meanwhile, the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) has declared an indefinite strike action with immediate effect.
The is contained in a press release issued in the late hours of April 23.
“Following our earlier press release today, the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital held an emergency general assembly meeting at 12 noon. The outcome of this meeting is as below: That with immediate effect, all members of DATTH have proceeded on an indefinite suspension
of all emergency and outpatient services (General OPD, Antenatal clinic, Specialist clinic, Paediatrics OPD),” a part of the press release copied to the Minister of Health, Northern Regional Minister and President, Ghana Medical Association reads.
“Inpatient care shall continue for our clients currently on admission until they are safely discharged from the hospital,” they explained.
The leadership of DATTH made specific demands before they will resume duty.
“Our demands:
1. Unqualified apologies from the Minister of Health, Honorable Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North Constituency, Honorable Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini should be rendered to Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa, all doctors of the Tamale Teaching Hospital and
staff of the Accident and Emergency department.
2. We shall resume provision of emergency and outpatient services after we receive appropriate apologies.
3. The management of the hospital should ensure that the following are available in the short term for us to work effectively:
a) Constant flow of water through the taps for clinical work
b) Stable electricity supply in the hospital
c) Constant supply of oxygen
d) Provision of consumable items such as gloves, gauze, cotton, face-masks, cannulae, sutures, syringes, disinfectants, glucometer strips, plaster, etc.
e) Constant supply of reagents to ensure continuous availability of essential laboratory tests within the hospital
f) One hundred continuous vital signs monitoring devices for all high dependency units in the hospital
g) Four ventilators at the accident and emergency department
h) Four ventilators at the intensive care unit
i) Two ventilators at the pediatric emergency ward
j) Two ventilators at the neonatal intensive care unit
k) Two ventilators at the maternal intensive care unit
l) Two transport ventilators
m) Two transport incubators at the obstetrics and gynecology department
n) Service and repair the 1000L autoclave machines at the CSSD
4. That in the medium term, the following must be provided to facilitate our work:
a) An MRI scan machine that does not use helium
b) A CT scan machine that has an infusion pump
c) A mammography machine
d) A fluoroscopy machine
e) A C-arm machine at the main theater
f) ABG machines in all intensive care units of the hospital and one at the accident and emergency department
g) Two mobile x-ray machines
5. DATTH will continue to engage management to ensure that the aforementioned in points 3&4 are available for healthcare delivery. We shall advise ourselves if there is failure to achieve the above within the shortest possible time.
6. That should any of our members feel threatened at any point in the provision of services within the hospital, they shall immediately remove themselves from such hostile environment for their own safety.
7. That all media houses that released false and biased reportage of the incident at the TTH accident and emergency during the health minister’s visit on 22/04/2025 should render apologies to DATTH on their platforms. DATTH shall not engage these media houses until this is done.”
