Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie

The Minority in Parliament has appealed to doctors and nurses at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to reconsider their ongoing industrial action and return to work in the interest of patients whose lives depend on critical healthcare services.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews' The Pulse on Monday, June 8, the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, acknowledged the legitimate concerns of the health professionals but stressed that the continued withdrawal of services could have devastating consequences for patients.

“Lives lost cannot be reversed. We know the doctors are right. We know they are faced with difficulties in executing their work. We know they are overwhelmed and overloaded, and we know there has been mismanagement of the situation. Nonetheless, we cannot allow the public to suffer,” he appealed.

The KATH doctors and nurses embarked on an indefinite strike following the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. (Med) Paa Kwesi Baidoo, a move they have described as unfair and detrimental to morale within the institution.

While expressing sympathy for the plight of healthcare workers, Dr. Afriyie said patients must remain at the centre of the ongoing dispute.

The legislator pointed out that a significant number of patients seeking treatment at public health facilities are women and vulnerable persons who may have limited alternatives for accessing healthcare.

“I am sensitive to what the doctors are going through, but I am also sensitive to the public. Holding the public to ransom at a time when people are losing their lives is something we cannot afford,” he stated.

Dr. Afriyie, however, insisted that the burden of responsibility should not rest solely on healthcare workers. He called on government authorities to urgently address the longstanding infrastructural and logistical challenges confronting the country’s health sector.

According to him, the crisis at KATH highlights the need for increased investment in healthcare infrastructure, particularly through the completion and operationalisation of Agenda 111 hospital projects across the country.

"The government must prioritise the health sector and operationalise the Agenda 111 hospitals. If these facilities are functioning, the pressure on institutions like KATH will be significantly reduced,” he said.

The Ranking Member argued that merely reopening facilities without addressing systemic challenges would only result in recurring crises.

Dr. Afriyie further urged journalists and civil society groups to continue drawing attention to the urgent need for healthcare investment rather than focusing solely on the immediate effects of the strike.

He stressed that healthcare infrastructure development should transcend partisan politics, noting that public funds belong to all Ghanaians regardless of which political party is in power.

“Taxpayer money under the NPP is the taxpayer’s money under the NDC. Taxpayer money has no political colouration. It belongs to the Ghanaian people, and we must use it to improve healthcare delivery for everyone,” he said.

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Lives lost cannot be reversed - Minority appeals to KATH striking staff to resume work

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