TTH strike: Minority appeals to Doctors to resume service

The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Health Committee has urged the Doctors Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) to reconsider its indefinite suspension of emergency and outpatient services.

The doctors downed their tools following an altercation involving Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini, whom they accused of verbally assaulting staff at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.

They also cited poor working conditions, lack of basic supplies, and what they described as insults to their dignity.

Acknowledging the seriousness of the strike, the Minority said in a press release:

“We do not underestimate the gravity of such a resolution, and we fully recognise that it stems from a deep sense of frustration, indignity, and structural neglect which must not be ignored.”

The Caucus praised the dedication of the hospital’s staff despite longstanding challenges.

“We wish, first and foremost, to express our utmost respect and appreciation for the selfless service and extraordinary professional commitment of the doctors and staff of the Tamale Teaching Hospital,” it stated.

The MPs warned of the dire consequences of prolonged disruption.

“We are, however, deeply concerned about the immediate and long-term implications of the suspension of critical services, particularly for the most vulnerable members of society who depend on TTH for urgent care.”

While acknowledging the doctors’ grievances, the Minority appealed for a swift return to duty:

“We respectfully appeal to the leadership and general membership of DATTH to consider, as a matter of urgency, the possibility of rescinding this decision in the supreme interest of public health.”

They cautioned against delays that could cost lives

“If the restoration of services is made contingent on an apology from the current Minister for Health, then regrettably, we fear that more lives may be lost before such a gesture is made.”

The Caucus pledged to push for accountability and improved conditions for health workers:

“Your welfare, dignity, and working conditions will form a central part of our oversight priorities in the coming months.”

Meanwhile, the strike by the Doctors Association has entered its second day, leaving numerous patients and their relatives stranded, with no resolution yet in sight.