Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Ghana’s second-largest teaching hospital, began a total withdrawal of services on Saturday (6 June), after condemning the suspension of the hospital’s chief executive officer and raising concerns about chronic overcrowding at its Emergency Department.

The industrial action, announced by the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA) in a notice dated 5 June, follows what the group described as recent developments involving the hospital’s management and worsening pressure on healthcare services.

In the notice signed by KADA Chairman Dr. Michael Leat, the doctors said members unanimously supported the strike after reviewing conditions at the hospital and the circumstances surrounding the CEO’s suspension.

The association said the CEO’s decision to temporarily halt new emergency admissions and coordinate patient referrals with nearby health facilities was a necessary measure to protect patients and staff amid severe congestion.

“KADA views the suspension as unjustified and counterproductive to ongoing efforts to address systemic challenges confronting the hospital,” the doctors said.

The association demanded the immediate review and reversal of the CEO’s suspension as a condition for ending the strike.

It also called on the KATH Board to establish clear policies for managing situations where emergency facilities exceed capacity, including guidelines on restricting admissions when patient safety is at risk.

In addition, the doctors urged the Ministry of Health to provide timelines for the operationalisation of Sewua Hospital and Afari Military Hospital, as well as the retooling of KATH and other hospitals in the Ashanti Region to ease pressure on the facility.

KADA said KATH serves as the main tertiary referral centre for Ghana’s middle and northern sectors but continues to operate under significant infrastructure constraints despite rising patient numbers.