By: Murtala Issah
Patients seeking medical services at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) will have to look for alternative healthcare options starting today, Thursday, April 23rd, 2025, as doctors have announced a strike in protest against the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhiyini.
A statement released late Wednesday evening said, “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). Inpatient care shall continue for our clients currently on admission until they are safely discharged from the hospital.”
The Doctors Association of the TTH, is demanding that, an “unqualified apologies from the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North Constituency, 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.”
Additionally, the DATTH is calling on government to restock the hospital with various consumables and retool the facility.
This decision comes on the heels of a contentious situation surrounding the recent death of a young man, which residents allege was a result of medical negligence.
The situation has escalated tensions between the doctors the Minister of Health, and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North who paid a surprise visit to TTH on Tuesday following public outrage over the death of the man. During the visit, the two government officials had an altercation with some staff of the TTH.
The family of the deceased has voiced their anguish and anger over the young man’s death saying it could have been prevented had he received timely and adequate medical care.
This incident has sparked outrage on social media with calls for government to fix the TTH.
President John Dramani Mahama has since fired the CEO of the TTH, Dr. Adam Atiku and appointed Dr. Bawah Abdulai to replace him.
The TTH is the only tertiary Healthcare facility in Northern Ghana, serving five out of the sixteen regions of Ghana. Following the strike, the only alternative facilities in Tamale are the Tamale West hospital, the Tamale Central Hospital and a couple of Christian and private facilities.
All these facilities are however unable to provide tertiary Healthcare services.
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