Doctors Threaten to Strike Over Accommodation Challenges at KATH

Doctors and medical workers at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) are facing a housing crisis as private developers take over their residences, leading to threats of abandonment of their duties. The situation has escalated to a crucial meeting amongst the health workers to address the accommodation challenges.

Doctors Threaten to Strike Over Accommodation Challenges at KATH Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council allegedly issued a week ultimatum for the medical workers to vacate their existing residences, claiming that the bungalows have been sold to private developers. Dr. Paa Kwasi Baidoo, the Ashanti Regional President of the Ghana Medical Association, expressed dismay over the sudden displacement of hospital staff from their homes, highlighting an agreement with the Manhyia Palace for new accommodations before the handover of the land, which has allegedly been disregarded.

“You will notice that a lot of our staff live 15 to 20 minutes away from the hospital and all of a sudden, people will come and ask you to move from your place because it has been sold to them and we took that issue up and we met with Manhyia on it and it was agreed that a new place be prepared to move us there before you can take possession of the land, they have disregarded that with impunity and so we are meeting this morning,” Dr. Baidoo stated.

However, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council argues that the relocation is a planned effort to move all government workers within a specified enclave of state lands around Danyame and Nhyiaeso, ceded to the Manhyia Palace. Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah assured that new facilities are being constructed for the affected government workers, refuting claims of forceful eviction and assuring that the relocation is aimed at improving working conditions for the employees.