Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has strongly defended the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, insisting that the decision was both necessary and consistent with government policy following the reported unauthorized shutdown of the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, the Health Minister explained that the disciplinary action became unavoidable after it was established that the emergency department had been closed without prior approval from the Ministry of Health. He noted that the action taken by hospital management directly contravened established government directives governing emergency healthcare delivery across the country.
According to Mr Akandoh, the closure of the facility’s emergency unit stood in clear violation of a directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama, which explicitly prohibits health facilities from refusing or diverting emergency cases under any circumstances. He stressed that the policy is designed to ensure that life saving care is not delayed or denied in critical situations.
The Minister further told lawmakers that the executive arm of government retains the authority to impose sanctions on heads of public institutions when they fail to comply with lawful directives. He maintained that such actions do not require prior approval from Parliament, especially where public health and safety are at stake.
“I do not remember any time when the executive is executing punitive actions, it needed the permission of Parliament to do so,” he stated firmly on the floor of the House.
Mr Akandoh reiterated that President Mahama had consistently emphasized the need for emergency medical services to remain fully operational at all times, recalling the President’s directive that health facilities must prioritize the preservation of life above all other considerations, even in circumstances where immediate on site intervention is required.
“On this floor of Parliament, the President issued a policy direction in the health sector that no health facility should turn away emergency cases, and he added that even if the life of the person must be saved on the ground, we should do so. When the President speaks, it must be implemented,” he added.
He further underscored that no individual or institution has the authority to unilaterally shut down any section of a public health facility without express authorization from the Minister responsible for Health. According to him, such actions undermine coordinated healthcare delivery and pose significant risks to patients who depend on emergency services.
“Let me put on record that absolutely nobody has the right to close any portion of a health facility without the consent of the Health Minister,” he stressed.
The suspension of the KATH Chief Executive Officer has since drawn public attention, particularly given the hospital’s critical role as one of Ghana’s premier referral health facilities serving the Ashanti Region and surrounding areas. The Ministry maintains that the action is part of broader efforts to enforce discipline, ensure compliance with national health policy, and safeguard uninterrupted emergency medical care.
