KATH Doctors Begin Indefinite Strike Over CEO Suspension as Hospital Crisis Deepens

Doctors at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital have begun an indefinite strike following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, escalating a dispute that has exposed deeper concerns about emergency care capacity and healthcare infrastructure in Ghana.

KUMASI, Ghana — Doctors at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have commenced an indefinite withdrawal of services following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, intensifying a crisis that has already sparked national debate over healthcare management and patient safety.

The industrial action, announced by the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA), took effect on Saturday, 6 June, after an emergency meeting of the association. Doctors said the strike was triggered by what they described as the unjustified suspension of the CEO after measures were introduced to address severe congestion at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.
The development comes just a day after Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh directed the KATH Board to suspend Dr Baidoo for two weeks, arguing that the hospital’s decision to temporarily halt new emergency admissions was inconsistent with directives from President John Dramani Mahama.

In a notice to the hospital’s Board Chairman, KADA said the measures instituted by the management of the hospital, including a temporary restriction on new emergency admissions and engagement with surrounding health facilities, were necessary interventions aimed at protecting patients and preventing avoidable deaths in the face of overwhelming capacity pressures.

The doctors argued that instead of receiving support for managing a difficult situation, the hospital’s leadership had been subjected to disciplinary action. “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 association said.

Doctors Demand Reversal of Suspension

KADA said the strike would remain in place until several conditions are met. Foremost among them is a review and reversal of the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer. The association is also calling for the KATH Board to establish clear policies on managing situations where emergency capacity is exceeded, including guidance on when admissions may be restricted in the interest of patient safety. The doctors are further demanding timelines for the operationalisation of Sewua Hospital and Afari Military Hospital, as well as timelines for the retooling of KATH and other hospitals within the Ashanti Region to ease pressure on the facility.

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi temporarily halted new emergency admissions after its Accident and Emergency Centre exceeded capacity. — Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has directed the suspension of KATH CEO Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo pending investigations into the hospital’s emergency admissions announcement.

Pressure on a Critical Referral Hospital

KATH is Ghana’s second-largest teaching hospital and serves as the principal tertiary referral centre for much of the middle and northern sectors of the country. According to the doctors, the hospital continues to operate under significant infrastructure constraints despite growing patient demand. They argue that overcrowding in the emergency department reflects broader systemic challenges facing Ghana’s healthcare system rather than failures of individual hospital managers.

The association stressed that its industrial action was not intended to undermine healthcare delivery but to draw national attention to issues of patient safety, clinical governance, professional accountability and the sustainability of healthcare services at the facility.

Concerns Over Patient Care

The strike raises concerns about access to healthcare for thousands of patients who rely on KATH, particularly those requiring specialist and emergency treatment. While doctors have not publicly detailed the extent of services affected, any prolonged disruption at the hospital could place additional pressure on surrounding healthcare facilities across the Ashanti Region and beyond. The dispute also highlights growing tensions between healthcare administrators, frontline clinicians and policymakers over how Ghana’s hospitals should respond when demand exceeds available capacity.

Government Yet to Respond to Strike

At the time of publication, the Ministry of Health had not publicly responded to the doctors’ decision to withdraw services. Nukunya has contacted the Ministry of Health and the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Board for comment and will update this story if responses are received.

As discussions continue, patients and healthcare professionals alike will be watching closely to see whether dialogue can avert a prolonged disruption at one of Ghana’s most important medical institutions.