Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh is facing mounting criticism following his decision to suspend the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, over the hospital’s temporary suspension of emergency admissions.
The move, which has sparked protests from medical professionals and drawn condemnation from opposition lawmakers and civil society groups, comes after KATH management announced a temporary halt to emergency admissions due to severe overcrowding and pressure on hospital resources.
Defending the decision, Mr. Akandoh argued that the hospital’s action contravened a standing directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama, which prohibits public health facilities from turning away emergency cases under any circumstances.
Speaking in Parliament, the Health Minister maintained that no public health institution has the authority to suspend operations or close any section of its services without the express approval of the State or the Ministry of Health.
According to him, Dr. Baidoo acknowledged that the hospital had acted contrary to the directive and subsequently apologized, making disciplinary action necessary.
“The decision was taken to ensure accountability and to serve as a deterrent to other public institutions that may seek to disregard established national policies on emergency healthcare delivery,” the Minister indicated.
However, the suspension has triggered widespread backlash, with critics accusing the government of unfairly targeting hospital administrators while ignoring deeper systemic challenges facing the healthcare sector.
The Minority in Parliament has been particularly vocal in its opposition to the Minister’s actions. Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin described the suspension as arbitrary and questioned the process leading to the decision.
He criticized the Minister for announcing and defending the suspension publicly without first briefing Parliament or following what he described as established administrative procedures expected in matters involving the leadership of a major national referral hospital.
Beyond Parliament, several civic and political groups have also condemned the move.
The Asante Youth Association has cautioned against what it perceives as the politicization of the health sector, warning that actions seen as politically motivated could undermine morale among healthcare professionals and affect service delivery.
Similarly, the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) has called for the immediate reinstatement of Dr. Baidoo, arguing that the suspension fails to address the root causes of congestion and capacity constraints at the facility.
The controversy has further escalated following a strike action by doctors at KATH, who have protested the suspension and expressed concerns about what they describe as undue interference in hospital administration.
While the Ministry of Health insists that emergency services must remain accessible at all times, critics contend that healthcare administrators should not be punished for decisions taken under extraordinary operational pressures.
As tensions continue to rise, stakeholders are calling for dialogue to resolve the impasse and ensure that patient care remains unaffected at one of the country’s leading tertiary healthcare institutions.
