KATH Crisis Deepens Further …Doctors, Nurses Strike Over CEO’s Suspension Minority Blasts Gov’t Decision

Healthcare services at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have ground to a halt as doctors and nurses embark on an indefinite strike in protest against the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo.

The dramatic standoff has left hundreds of patients stranded, with outpatient departments virtually deserted and several surgeries postponed indefinitely.

The doctors’ decision to strike was made at an emergency meeting on Friday, June 5, 2026, and took effect on Saturday, June 6, 2026, following the suspension of the CEO. The strike gained further momentum with the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) joining the action on Sunday, June 7, 2026, to demand the immediate reversal of Dr. Baidoo’s suspension.

The aggrieved doctors and nurses have described the decision by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to direct the hospital’s Board to suspend Dr. Baidoo for two weeks as unfair and unjustified. They argue that the action undermines efforts to provide quality healthcare and safeguard patient welfare.

The controversy stems from KATH’s recent decision to suspend new emergency admissions because of severe overcrowding at the facility. The move, according to the hospital management, was intended to manage the growing patient load and ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare workers.

However, the Minister’s response has triggered strong opposition among staff, who argue that the suspension is both unfair and counterproductive. The striking workers insist that the CEO’s suspension must be revoked and that clear national guidelines be established on managing patient overflow and restricting admissions when patient safety is at risk before they consider resuming work.

In a statement, the doctors argued that the challenges confronting KATH reflect longstanding systemic weaknesses within the health sector and should be addressed through policy reforms and infrastructure development rather than punitive action against healthcare administrators.

“The current situation reflects longstanding systemic challenges that require urgent policy and infrastructure solutions rather than punitive action against healthcare leaders attempting to manage their consequences,” the statement said.

The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association at KATH echoed similar concerns, stating that “The two-week suspension of the Chief Executive Officer is unnecessary and is definitely not the solution to the enormous pressure, infrastructural challenges, congestion, inadequate logistics, and resource constraints confronting the hospital on a daily basis.”

The Association called on the Ministry of Health to expedite the operationalisation of health facilities intended to ease pressure on KATH. It also urged government to prioritise retooling, infrastructural expansion and improved resource allocation to strengthen the hospital’s capacity as a leading referral centre.

NLC Declares Strike Illegal

Meanwhile, the National Labour Commission (NLC) has directed the Komfo Anokye Doctors’ Association (KADA) to immediately suspend its industrial action, describing the strike as unlawful and inconsistent with Ghana’s labour laws.

In a statement issued on Saturday, June 6, 2026, the Commission said it had taken note of media reports announcing the strike and concluded that the notice issued by KADA did not comply with the legal requirements governing industrial action.

“KADA is advised that the notice was improperly served because it was not compliant with the relevant provisions of the Labour Law. Consequently, the Commission, in exercise of its powers under Section 139(d) of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), directs KADA to call off the strike immediately as the action contravenes Sections 162 and 163 of Act 651,” the NLC stated.

The Commission further summoned both parties to appear before it on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. for a hearing on the dispute.

Minority Criticises Gov’t Decision

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has also weighed in on the controversy, describing the government’s decision to suspend the KATH CEO as a “knee-jerk” reaction that fails to address the root causes of the persistent “No Bed Syndrome” at one of Ghana’s largest referral hospitals.

In a statement issued on June 7, 2026, and signed by the Ranking Member of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, the Minority argued that the suspension unfairly places responsibility for longstanding systemic challenges on a single administrator while ignoring broader deficiencies within the healthcare system.

According to the caucus, although every preventable death deserves thorough investigation and accountability, removing the hospital’s CEO does little to resolve the chronic infrastructure, referral and capacity challenges affecting healthcare delivery.

“The decision by Government to suspend the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) over the recent challenges associated with bed capacity and patient congestion is unfortunate, reactionary, and fails to address the underlying structural failures confronting Ghana’s health sector,” the statement said.

The Minority maintained that the pressure currently facing KATH is largely attributable to delays in operationalising hospital projects that were intended to serve as alternative referral facilities in the Ashanti Region and the northern parts of the country.

The caucus cited major projects developed under the previous administration, including the 500-bed Afari Military Hospital and the Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua, arguing that these facilities were specifically built to increase tertiary healthcare capacity and reduce congestion at KATH.

According to the statement, the full operationalisation of these facilities would significantly ease the burden on the teaching hospital and improve healthcare delivery in the region.