KATH doctors declare indefinite strike over CEO suspension, hospital congestion
Medical doctors at the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association have declared an indefinite withdrawal of services beginning Saturday, June 6, 2026, in protest against the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
In a strongly worded notice addressed to the Chairman of the Hospital Board, the doctors described the suspension of the CEO as “unjustified and counterproductive,” arguing that management’s recent actions were intended to protect patient safety amid worsening congestion at the hospital’s Emergency Department.
The notice, signed by the Chairman of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA), Dr. Michael Leat, followed an emergency meeting held on June 5, 2026, to assess recent developments at the hospital.
According to the doctors, there was “intense deliberation” over the unprecedented congestion within the Emergency Department and the temporary measures introduced by management to ensure continued safe patient care.
The Association argued that management’s decision to temporarily halt new emergency admissions and coordinate with surrounding health facilities was a necessary clinical and administrative intervention aimed at preventing avoidable deaths and safeguarding both patients and caregivers.
However, members expressed concern that instead of addressing the systemic challenges confronting the hospital, the actions taken by management had resulted in disciplinary sanctions against the CEO.
“The decision by management to temporarily halt new emergency admissions and coordinate with surrounding health facilities was an important clinical and administrative intervention intended to prevent avoidable loss of life and preserve patient safety in the face of severe capacity constraints,” portions of the statement noted.
KADA further stressed that the teaching hospital continues to operate under severe infrastructural limitations despite carrying one of the heaviest patient loads in the country.
The Association described the situation as evidence of longstanding systemic failures requiring urgent policy and infrastructure interventions rather than punitive actions against healthcare leaders attempting to manage the crisis.
“The current situation reflects longstanding systemic challenges that require urgent policy and infrastructure solutions rather than punitive action against healthcare leaders attempting to manage their consequences,” the statement added.
As part of resolutions adopted at the meeting, the doctors announced a total withdrawal of services effective 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
The industrial action, according to the Association, will continue until the suspension of the CEO is reviewed and reversed.
KADA is also demanding that the hospital board issue clear policies regarding the management of situations where the hospital’s emergency capacity has been exceeded, including explicit guidance on patient overflow and circumstances under which admissions may be restricted in the interest of patient safety.
Additionally, the doctors are calling on the Ministry of Health to provide clear timelines for the operationalisation of the Sewua Hospital and the Afari Military Hospital, as well as timelines for the retooling of KATH and other hospitals within the Ashanti Region to ease pressure on the facility.
The Association said it would also engage the public and other stakeholders through the media to highlight what it described as the chronic mismatch between patient demand and the available infrastructure and resources within the Ashanti Region and the country at large.
Despite the industrial action, the doctors insisted that their decision was not intended to undermine healthcare delivery but rather to draw urgent national attention to issues of patient safety, clinical governance, professional accountability, and the sustainability of healthcare services at Ghana’s second-largest teaching hospital.
“We remain committed to the welfare of our patients and to the delivery of safe, ethical, and evidence-based healthcare,” the statement concluded.
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