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Doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have allegedly halted all emergency and outpatient services indefinitely following what they describe as unjustified attacks by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini.
This drastic action was taken during an emergency meeting of the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) on Wednesday, April 23. The decision came shortly after the association issued a statement condemning a confrontation during the Minister’s visit to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit the day before.
“All emergency and outpatient services—General OPD, Antenatal clinic, Specialist clinic, and Paediatrics OPD—are suspended indefinitely,” the group declared. However, in-patient care will continue until current patients are safely discharged.
The doctors are demanding unconditional apologies from both the Minister and the MP to Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa and all TTH medical staff, especially those at the Accident and Emergency Unit. Services will only resume once these apologies are rendered.
Alongside their protest, the doctors also submitted a list of critical logistical needs to hospital management. These include consistent water and power supply, continuous access to oxygen, and essential clinical materials like gloves, syringes, disinfectants, and face masks.
They also requested improved availability of laboratory reagents, monitoring devices, ventilators, incubators, and repairs to malfunctioning equipment such as autoclave machines. For long-term enhancement, the doctors called for advanced diagnostic tools including a helium-free MRI, a CT scan with infusion pump, mammography and fluoroscopy units, C-arm machines, mobile X-ray systems, and ABG analyzers.
Citing safety concerns, the association stressed that its members will not work under hostile conditions. It also criticized sections of the media for biased reporting and announced a boycott of such outlets unless public corrections and apologies are issued.
The group says it remains open to engaging with hospital leadership but warns of further action if its concerns are not swiftly addressed.
