The Komfo Anokye Doctors’ Association (KADA) has defended the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, following a query issued to him over the recent congestion at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) Centre.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, June 4, 2026, the association described the query as a disappointing and knee-jerk response by the Health Minister.
The Association urged authorities to focus on addressing the systemic challenges confronting the hospital rather than assigning blame.
KADA said the congestion at the A&E Centre was a reflection of increasing pressure on Ghana’s healthcare system, citing overcrowding, resource constraints, and a growing referral burden on KATH, which serves as the main tertiary referral facility for the Ashanti Region and much of northern Ghana.
According to the association, management’s decision to liaise with nearby hospitals and temporarily redirect patients was a responsible measure aimed at ensuring patient safety and continuity of care, rather than a refusal to provide healthcare services.
The doctors argued that allowing more patients into an already overstretched emergency facility would have compromised quality care and endangered lives.
KADA further expressed concern that the query issued to the hospital’s CEO appeared to be a reaction to the crisis instead of addressing the underlying challenges that led to the situation.
The association maintained that healthcare leaders taking difficult decisions in the interest of patient safety should be supported and engaged constructively.
“We are therefore concerned that the issuance of a query to the Chief Executive Officer appears to be a knee-jerk response to a crisis rather than addressing the underlying systemic challenges that precipitated the situation.
“The healthcare professionals of KATH believe that leaders who take difficult but necessary decisions in the interest of patient safety should be supported and engaged constructively rather than publicly subjected to disciplinary processes without a comprehensive review of the prevailing circumstances,” the statement said.
The association also highlighted what it described as a gap in healthcare infrastructure development between the Ashanti Region and Greater Accra, noting that inadequate investment in health facilities within the region has contributed to mounting pressure on KATH.
To address the challenge, KADA called on the Ministry of Health to fast-track the operationalisation of the Afari Military Hospital, the Sewua Hospital, and other strategically located facilities to ease the burden on KATH and improve healthcare delivery across the region.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and patient safety and pledged to work with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the hospital’s capacity challenges.
The Ministry of Health, in a letter dated June 3, summoned the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to explain the hospital’s reported decision to stop admitting new patients at its Accident and Emergency Centre.
The Ministry also referenced comments reportedly made by the hospital’s Head of Public Affairs on Channel One TV, affirming management’s decision regarding the centre’s inability to accept additional patients.
According to the Ministry, the decision contravenes a directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama instructing hospitals not to turn away emergency cases.
The letter directed the KATH CEO to appear before the Minister of Health by noon on Thursday, June 4, 2026, to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for allegedly contradicting the President’s directive.
In a related development, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has clarified the circumstances surrounding reported congestion at the Accident and Emergency Centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), stating that the facility did not turn away emergency patients but rather implemented temporary measures to manage overwhelming patient numbers.
In a press statement, jointly signed by President, Prof. Dr. (Med) Ernest Yorke, and General Secretary, Dr. (Dent) Richard Selormey, the Association said it had followed public discussions on the matter closely and engaged management and staff of KATH, as well as reviewed explanations provided by hospital authorities and related regional health meetings.
According to the GMA, its assessment suggests that the temporary arrangements were introduced to support the redistribution of patients to peripheral health facilities within the Ashanti Region, as part of efforts to ease pressure on the Accident and Emergency Centre.
It noted that available information indicates the hospital was operating beyond its designed capacity, necessitating urgent operational measures to safeguard patient care and ensure the treatment of critically ill patients already admitted.
A review of minutes from a meeting held on June 2, 2026, by the Regional Health Directorate, the Association said, pointed to agreed interventions aimed at addressing the congestion situation.
The GMA further observed that the situation at the Accident and Emergency Centre has since improved significantly.
While acknowledging the resolution of the immediate challenge, the Association said the incident highlights wider systemic issues in Ghana’s emergency healthcare delivery system.
It called for sustained investment in emergency medicine infrastructure, expansion of emergency care facilities, and stronger referral systems, as well as improved resourcing of regional and district hospitals to manage cases closer to communities.
“The GMA emphasizes that every Ghanaian, regardless of where they live, should have timely access to quality emergency medical care,” the statement said.
The Association also commended healthcare workers at KATH and across the Ashanti Region for their efforts in managing the situation under difficult conditions.
However, it expressed concern over what it described as the tone of a query letter issued to the Chief Executive Officer of KATH, suggesting it appeared to imply wrongdoing by hospital management.
The GMA expressed hope that ongoing engagements between the Health Minister and KATH leadership would lead to constructive outcomes aimed at strengthening emergency healthcare delivery rather than punitive consequences.
