Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in the Ashanti Region have commenced their indefinite strike slated for Wednesday, March 13, over accommodation concerns.
This follows an earlier announcement by the leadership.
In a letter sighted by JoyNews, the doctors had explained that members are being harassed with persistent orders to move out of their Danyame residences in Kumasi.
Already, many of the doctors have received notices asking them to leave their official bungalows because they have been sold out.
The doctors, however, argue that agreement made with Manhyia Palace for new accommodations before the handing over of the land has allegedly been disregarded.
They are therefore threatening to vacate their post so they can go searching for accommodation.
Patients were seen loitering about at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, KATH, indeperation.
Meanwhile, The Ghana Medical Association(GMA) has caution to embark on a nationwide strike in solidarity with doctors of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in the Ashanti Region if their grievances are not addressed.
Doctors of KATH are facing eviction from their bungalows because the land has been sold to a private estate developer.
President of the GMA, Dr. Frank Serebuor also warned the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah to stop handling the situation the way he is doing.
“If he pushes us to the wall, we will take a decision to go on a nationwide strike in solidarity with our colleagues at KATH. We are getting there and he should stop making such comments”, Dr Serebuor warned in an interview with Abusua FM on Wednesday, March 13.
The doctors are facing eviction from their official homes. This is to enable private estate developers to construct buildings with higher occupancy at the present locations occupied by the doctors and other medical staff.
As a result, the doctors have threatened to lay down their tools on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 to go scouting for residential accommodation.
But the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah says the doctors have no case.
He stressed that arrangements were being made with the private developer to provide funds to settle two years rent payment for each affected doctor.
GMA however said that was not the right way to go about the issue.
Dr Serebuor said the private developer should have engaged the management of KATH and not the doctors.
“In any case, the private developer did not have to engage the doctors who were allocated the residencies by Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
“They should have rather dealt with the management of KATH to write to the doctors and medical staff”, he stated.
Dr Serebuor was of the view that “it wasn’t easy relocating from a place of accommodation where some have occupied for 30 years and over.
“Even finding new schools for their children is not going to be a stroll in the park. You can’t order a whole eviction just like that”, he emphasised.
He added that a number of doctors have called on the association to complain about how they had been subjected to stress and frustration.
He further stated that the doctors have allegedly received threats of having their water supply and electricity cut off by the private developers if they failed to leave their homes.
