Doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have called off their strike after two days, following intervention from the Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abukari II.
A high-level delegation sent by the Yaa Naa, led by Zangbalun Naa Dr. Yakubu II, Chief of the Zangbalun Traditional Area, met with both the hospital’s management and representatives of the Doctors Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) on Friday, April 25.
Following this meeting, emergency services resumed at the referral facility, which serves the northern sector.
However, the doctors are still demanding an apology from Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh before fully resuming work to offer health services at the Outpatients Department, Myjoyonline.com has learned.
The doctors had downed their tools, citing a hostile working environment, a lack of basic medical supplies, and what they described as an insult to their dignity by senior government officials.
The strike was triggered by the dismissal of the TTH CEO, Dr. Adam Atiku, by the minister over alleged mismanagement and medical negligence, which led to a patient’s death at the hospital.
The minister’s visit was intended to assess the facility’s current state and gather first-hand information regarding the alleged negligence that resulted in the death of a patient referred to the hospital weeks earlier.
The deceased, Bavug Salim, was rushed to the Emergency Ward’s red zone in an unconscious state but was allegedly left unattended for several hours without explanation, leading to his death.
During the visit, a medical officer, Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa, attempted to explain the circumstances surrounding the death, but the minister found the explanation unsatisfactory.
The minister also expressed dissatisfaction with the hospital’s overall condition and resource management, ultimately leading to the CEO’s dismissal.