Nurses and midwives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) have joined an ongoing strike action in protest against the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, escalating industrial tensions at one of Ghana’s premier referral facilities.
In a statement issued on Saturday, 6 June, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) said the directive by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, suspending the CEO for two weeks does not address the core challenges confronting the hospital.
According to the nurses and midwives, the suspension fails to resolve longstanding issues such as infrastructural deficits, overcrowding, inadequate logistics and persistent shortages of essential resources that continue to hamper healthcare delivery at the facility.
They described the decision as “unnecessary”, insisting that it does not contribute to easing the operational pressures facing one of Ghana’s major referral hospitals.
The association stressed that patient safety and quality healthcare cannot be improved through administrative sanctions alone, arguing that the systemic challenges at KATH remain the real concern.
KATH, which serves as a major referral and teaching hospital, continues to receive high patient volumes from across the country. However, the GRNMA noted that its infrastructure and medical logistics have not kept pace with increasing demand.
The association called on the Ministry of Health to fast-track the completion and operationalisation of stalled and delayed health projects aimed at decongesting the facility.
It further urged government to prioritise urgent retooling, expansion of infrastructure and improved supply chains to strengthen service delivery and restore the hospital’s capacity as a centre of excellence.
The nurses and midwives also demanded the immediate reversal of the CEO’s suspension, arguing that he should be allowed to continue his duties while broader operational challenges are addressed in collaboration with health workers, particularly those in the emergency unit.
The GRNMA warned that its members would proceed with strike action from 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, 7 June 2026, if the directive is not rescinded.
“We wish to state categorically that effective 8:00am 7th June 2026 Nurses and Midwives at KATH will join the strike if the directive from the Honourable Minister for Health is not reversed,” the statement warned.
The association has also appealed to the KATH Board to urgently intervene to restore calm and prevent further disruption to healthcare delivery at the facility.
