Pressure is mounting at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) as doctors and other health workers consider industrial action following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo.

Reports suggest growing frustration among staff over the decision, with the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) expected to meet on Saturday, June 6, to discuss the matter and chart a way forward.

The controversy erupted after Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh instructed the KATH Board to suspend Dr Baidoo for two weeks with immediate effect.

In a letter dated June 5, 2026, the Minister explained that the CEO’s announcement of a temporary suspension of emergency admissions was inconsistent with directives issued by President John Dramani Mahama.

The move has, however, been strongly opposed by labour unions at the hospital, which argue that the decision was part of a collective effort involving multiple health institutions and authorities to manage severe congestion at the hospital’s emergency unit.

Speaking on Citi FM on Friday, June 5, 2026, Chairman of the Komfo Anokye Doctors’ Association (KADA), Dr Michael Leat, said unions at the hospital would soon announce their position.

“All the unions in KATH will be meeting, and in due course, you will hear our response, and it will be very strict. We will make our views known to the Health Ministry without sentiment after the meeting,” he said.

Dr Leat also challenged the decision to single out Dr Baidoo for punishment, insisting that the move to suspend emergency admissions was jointly agreed upon.

“It was a decision of the Ashanti Regional Health Administration, KATH, and all the other hospitals. Why are all the other people not suspended?” he questioned.

According to him, the decision was supported by healthcare professionals directly involved in patient care.

“We, as professionals—nurses, doctors, pharmacists—who are at the frontline of treating patients, felt that was the best decision to make,” he stated.

KATH announced on June 3 that it would temporarily halt emergency admissions at its A&E Centre, citing overcrowding and operational challenges. The decision immediately sparked concern among the public because of the hospital’s status as a key referral facility for the Ashanti Region and beyond.

The subsequent suspension of Dr Baidoo has intensified the debate, drawing criticism from sections of the medical community. With labour unions expected to conclude deliberations on Saturday, all eyes are on whether the dispute could escalate into a full-scale strike, potentially disrupting healthcare services at one of Ghana’s busiest referral hospitals.