Nurses and midwives at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital have announced plans to join an ongoing industrial action by doctors unless the government reverses the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association branch at the hospital said its members would begin strike action from 8:00am on 7th June if the Ministry of Health does not withdraw the directive.
In a notice addressed to the hospital’s board, the association described the two week suspension of the CEO as unnecessary and argued that it would not solve the major challenges facing the facility.
According to the association, the hospital continues to struggle with overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, shortages of equipment and logistics, and increasing pressure from a growing number of patient referrals from across the country.
The nurses and midwives said patient safety and quality healthcare delivery could not be improved through the suspension of the CEO. They also maintained that healthcare workers were operating under extremely difficult conditions and that the action taken against the hospital’s chief executive would not address those concerns.
The association called on the Ministry of Health to speed up the operationalisation of health facilities intended to reduce pressure on Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. It also appealed for urgent investment in equipment, infrastructure expansion and adequate resources to help the hospital function effectively.
In addition, the group demanded the immediate withdrawal of the CEO’s suspension, saying he should be empowered to continue managing the hospital to support healthcare delivery and improve working conditions for staff, particularly those in the emergency department.
The latest development comes amid a growing labour dispute at the hospital.
Doctors, under the banner of the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association, began an indefinite strike on 6th June following the Ministry of Health’s decision to suspend the CEO.
The doctors have argued that the suspension fails to address longstanding problems at the hospital, including congestion, inadequate infrastructure, shortages of equipment and logistics, and mounting pressure on staff due to increasing patient numbers.
The support from nurses and midwives raises the prospect of a wider industrial action that could significantly affect healthcare services at one of Ghana’s largest referral and teaching hospitals.
The association said it remained committed to supporting policies and interventions aimed at improving patient safety, healthcare delivery and working conditions for health professionals, but warned that urgent steps were needed to restore calm and prevent further disruption to services.
