KATH Doctors Suspend Industrial Action After Otumfuo's Intervention
Doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi have called off their strike action following the personal intervention of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, bringing relief to patients and families who depend on Ghana’s second-largest referral facility for critical medical care.
The Komfo Anokye Doctors’ Association (KADA) announced the suspension in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Michael Leat, saying the decision took effect at 1800 hours on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The association said it had been swayed by what it described as “fruitful engagements” with key stakeholders and the timely intervention of the Asantehene, who holds immense moral authority in the Ashanti Region.
The doctors had laid down their tools over the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo — a move that had raised serious concerns about the potential collapse of healthcare delivery at the facility, which serves as a major referral centre for the middle and northern belts of Ghana.
The suspension of the CEO had drawn sharp reactions from multiple quarters within the health sector. The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) had earlier mounted a vigorous defence of Dr. Baidoo, arguing that clinical decisions should not fall on one person and that the broader governance structures at KATH deserved scrutiny rather than the singling out of an individual.
Path to Resolution
In its statement, KADA acknowledged that the Hospital Board, KATH Management, and other unnamed stakeholders had demonstrated genuine commitment to addressing the concerns that triggered the industrial action. The association said it had “carefully weighed the consequences of a prolonged strike on patient care and public health” before reaching its decision.
“The safety and well-being of patients and the broader public interest remain central to our responsibilities, and these have informed our decision to suspend the action and continue the dialogue,” the statement read.
The association expressed profound gratitude to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, whose intervention appears to have been decisive in breaking the impasse. The Asantehene, who commands deep respect across traditional and institutional boundaries in the Ashanti Region and beyond, has a history of mediating disputes that threaten public welfare.
Widespread Solidarity
KADA also acknowledged the support of the National Executive Council and members of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) throughout the standoff. The statement went further to commend several allied professional groups and unions within the health sector for their solidarity during the industrial action.
Among those singled out were the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), the Emergency Medicine Society of Ghana (EMSOG), the Orthopaedic Association of Ghana (OAG), and the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU). Also commended were the Komfo Anokye Certified Registered Anaesthetists Association (KACRA), the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS-KATH Chapter), and the Komfo Anokye Pharmacists Association (KAPA).
The suspension of the strike is expected to restore full medical services at KATH, which handles a massive patient load from across the Ashanti Region and the northern part of the country. However, KADA emphasised that it remained committed to ensuring the outstanding issues were fully resolved, signalling that the underlying tensions had not entirely dissipated.
The resolution offers a temporary reprieve for a hospital that has been at the centre of governance controversies in recent months, and highlights the continuing role of traditional authority in mediating modern institutional disputes in Ghana.
Image Source: GHANA BUSINESS NEWS
