KATH doctors signal possible strike over suspension of CEO

Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) are hinting at possible industrial action following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, over the temporary suspension of emergency admissions.

There is growing dissatisfaction among medical staff that could escalate into a strike, with the leadership of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) expected to meet on Saturday, June 6, to determine the next course of action.

The tension follows the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh’s directive to the KATH Board to suspend Dr. Baidoo for two weeks. In a letter dated June 5, 2026, the Minister said the CEO’s announcement on the suspension of emergency admissions contradicted instructions from President John Dramani Mahama.

However, unions at KATH have defended the suspended CEO, insisting that the decision to temporarily halt emergency admissions was not taken unilaterally but formed part of a broader strategy agreed upon by health authorities to manage severe congestion at the facility.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News, the Chairman of the Komfo Anokye Doctors’ Association (KADA), Dr. Michael Leat, said the various labour unions within the hospital would meet to agree on a unified response.

“All the unions in KATH will be meeting, and in due course you will hear our response — and it will be very strict. We will make our views known to the Health Ministry without sentiment after the meeting,” he stated.

Dr. Leat also questioned the basis for singling out the CEO for disciplinary action, arguing that the decision involved multiple stakeholders within the health system.

“It was a decision of the Ashanti Regional Health Administration, KATH, and all the other hospitals. Why are all the other people not suspended?” he asked.

He maintained that frontline health workers, including doctors, nurses and pharmacists, believed the temporary suspension of emergency admissions was a necessary measure given the circumstances at the time.

The dispute stems from KATH’s June 3 announcement that it was temporarily halting emergency admissions due to severe congestion and operational challenges. The decision triggered public concern due to the hospital’s role as a major referral centre in the Ashanti Region and beyond.

As unions prepare to meet and announce their position, attention is now focused on whether the situation could escalate into a strike action that may disrupt healthcare delivery at one of the country’s busiest hospitals.

-citinewsroom