TTH Doctors suspend emergency, OPD services over Minister’s conduct and poor working conditions

Doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have indefinitely suspended all emergency and outpatient services, citing worsening working conditions and what they describe as disrespect from top government officials.

The decision, announced on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, follows an emergency general assembly meeting of the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH), who say they are operating in a “hostile working environment” with little to no essential medical supplies.

As part of the action, doctors will no longer attend to patients at the General OPD, Antenatal Clinic, Specialist Clinic, and Paediatrics OPD.

“Inpatient care shall continue for our clients currently on admission until they are safely discharged,” the statement clarified.

The protest stems from tensions following the visit of Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to the hospital, during which the doctors say they were unfairly treated and misrepresented by sections of the media. They are demanding public apologies from the Minister, Tamale North MP Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, and media houses that aired what they describe as false and biased reportage.

“We shall resume provision of emergency and outpatient services after we receive appropriate apologies,” the doctors declared.

Beyond the demand for apologies, the doctors have outlined a long list of immediate and medium-term needs they say are critical to providing quality care. These include:

Constant water and electricity supply
Continuous flow of oxygen and basic medical items like gloves, cannulae, and syringes
Working reagents for lab services
Vital signs monitors and ventilators across key units
Incubators and functioning sterilisation machines

In the medium term, they are also calling for:

A non-helium-dependent MRI machine
CT scan with an infusion pump
Mammography, fluoroscopy, ABG machines, and mobile X-ray units
A C-arm for theatre

The statement concludes with a strong warning:

“We shall advise ourselves if there is failure to achieve the above within the shortest possible time.”

DATTH also emphasized they will not cooperate with any media outlets that fail to issue retractions. In addition, any doctor who feels unsafe while on duty will, according to the statement,

“immediately remove themselves from such hostile environment” for their personal safety.

The indefinite suspension throws a spotlight on Ghana’s fragile healthcare infrastructure, and whether the government will respond swiftly remains to be seen.