Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi have expressed dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Health’s decision to query the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer following the temporary suspension of emergency admissions at its Accident and Emergency Centre.
The hospital on Tuesday, June 2, briefly halted the admission of new emergency cases after its 37-bed facility became severely overcrowded, accommodating nearly 100 patients. Management explained that the decision was taken to ensure patient safety and maintain quality care under the strained conditions.
However, following media reports on the situation, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, acting on behalf of the sector minister, summoned the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, over concerns that the action contradicted directives prohibiting the turning away of patients.
In response, the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA) described the ministry’s action as a “knee-jerk response,” arguing that it failed to address the underlying structural challenges confronting the facility.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. (Med) Michael Leat, the association said healthcare professionals at KATH should be supported when they take difficult but necessary decisions in the interest of patient safety, rather than being subjected to disciplinary measures without a full assessment of the circumstances.
The doctors clarified that the temporary coordination with peripheral health facilities to redirect patients was not an act of refusing care, but rather a measure of responsible clinical governance aimed at ensuring patients received appropriate treatment within a safer and more manageable system.
They further noted that the situation at KATH highlights the urgent need for systemic reforms, particularly the strengthening of referral networks and expansion of healthcare infrastructure within the Ashanti Region and beyond.
KADA also renewed calls for the full operationalisation of facilities such as the Afari Military Hospital and the Sewua Hospital, arguing that these centres would significantly reduce pressure on KATH, improve patient distribution, and enhance emergency care delivery across the region.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism, patient safety, and collaborative engagement with stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions to the hospital’s challenges.
Meanwhile, KATH has since resumed normal admission of emergency cases following the successful management of patients already in its care.
Source: myjoyonline.com