Patients seeking medical care at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) are facing mounting hardship as a strike by health workers enters its fourth day, disrupting outpatient services and leaving many stranded far from home.
The industrial action, which began on June 6 over concerns related to the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, continues to affect healthcare delivery at one of Ghana’s largest referral hospitals.
Although emergency cases and patients already admitted to the hospital are still receiving care, most services at the Out-Patient Department (OPD) remain suspended. As a result, patients scheduled for reviews, consultations and follow-up appointments have been unable to access treatment.
The disruption has particularly affected patients who travelled from distant parts of the country to seek specialised medical care. Many have been forced to extend their stay in Kumasi, creating additional financial and emotional burdens for themselves and their families.
Some patients reported arriving at the hospital only to discover that the strike had halted their appointments. Others say they are uncertain whether to remain in Kumasi in anticipation of a resolution or return home and reschedule their visits.
The ongoing impasse has also placed pressure on relatives and friends accommodating stranded patients, with many families incurring unexpected expenses due to prolonged stays.
Efforts by government officials to persuade the striking workers to resume duty have so far yielded no breakthrough. The workers insist they will not return to work until they receive a response from the Ministry of Health regarding their concerns over the suspension of the hospital’s chief executive.
As negotiations remain unresolved, healthcare services at KATH continue to operate under significant strain, with patients bearing the greatest impact of the prolonged industrial action.
