Tamale Teaching Hospital Doctors Halt Emergency & Outpatient Services Over Attacks

Doctors at Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have indefinitely suspended all emergency and outpatient services, citing “unwarranted attacks” from Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini.

The decision followed a tense meeting of the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) on April 23, just hours after the group condemned an incident involving the minister’s visit to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit on April 22.

The suspension includes all emergency services, such as General OPD, Antenatal, Specialist, and Paediatrics clinics, though inpatient care will continue as usual until patients are safely discharged.

The doctors are demanding public apologies from both the minister and MP, directed towards Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa, the medical staff at TTH, and especially those working in the Accident and Emergency department. They have made it clear that services will resume only after the appropriate apologies are issued.

Along with the apology demands, the association has listed urgent logistical and infrastructure needs, including better access to water, stable power, continuous oxygen supply, and essential medical supplies like gloves, masks, and syringes.

They are also calling for the repair of critical hospital equipment and the acquisition of advanced diagnostic tools, such as MRI and CT scan machines, to improve patient care in the long run.

Highlighting safety concerns, the DATTH emphasized that they will not work under hostile conditions and criticized biased media coverage of the incident, stating they would avoid engaging with such outlets until public apologies are made.

The association also warned that without swift action, they may reconsider further dialogue with hospital management.