Health Minister Akandoh Appeals to Striking Tamale Teaching Hospital Staff, Offers No Apology

• The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has urged health professionals at the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off their strike
• The hospital staff are demanding an apology from the minister for being overly critical of hospital staff during a recent visit
• Addressing the media Akandoh did not apologise but pledged to improve the hospital staff's working conditions

The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has urged health professionals at the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off their ongoing strike in protest of his conduct.

Akandoh said he meant no disrespect after his conduct during a controversial visit to the hospital on April 22, in which he was critical of staff.

The hospital staff are on strike, demanding an apology from the minister for being overly critical of hospital staff in the wake of the death of a patient.

Addressing the media on April 24 after hospital staff went on strike, he acknowledged the concerns raised by staff at the facility and said he would work to improve their working conditions.

"My humble appeal to the wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at the Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interest. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward," he said.

As part of the strike, hospital staff are not providing services at the General OPD, Antenatal Clinic, Specialist Clinic, and Paediatrics OPD.

Because of the strike, several patients were left frustrated when seeking medical care.

Joy News reported that many queued along the corridors of the Out-Patients Department but were not being attended to.

The Ministry of Health earlier oversaw the transfer of a substantial consignment of medical equipment to the Tamale Teaching Hospital to improve healthcare delivery at the facility.

Speaking at the presentation, Akandoh said this was part of broader government efforts to strengthen healthcare infrastructure nationwide.

Demands by striking Tamale Teaching Hospital Staff

In addition to the demand for an apology, a doctor's union presented a list of urgent logistical and infrastructural needs to hospital management.

These include reliable access to water, stable electricity, continuous oxygen supply, and the immediate provision of basic clinical supplies like gloves and gauze.

The doctors are also demanding the availability of lab reagents, ventilators for various departments, vital signs monitors, transport incubators, and repairs to critical hospital equipment.

In the long term, the doctors are requesting diagnostic and critical care tools, including a helium-free MRI machine, a CT scan with an infusion pump, mammography and fluoroscopy units, a C-arm machine, arterial blood gas (ABG) analysers, and mobile X-ray systems.

The hospital has dealt with severe shortages of critical materials and logistics over the years.

In July 2024, it suffered from an oxygen supply shortage, for example.

Mahama appoints new Tamale Teaching Hospital CEO

YEN.com.gh reported that President John Mahama appointed Dr Abubakar Bawah Abdulai, a senior official at the University for Development Studies, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

His appointment came on the heels of the dismissal of Dr Adam Atiku, who was relieved of his duties on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh