TTH doctors declare indefinite suspension of emergency and outpatient services
Doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) have announced an indefinite halt to all emergency and outpatient services. The decision stems from what they describe as a hostile working environment, a lack of essential medical supplies, and actions by top government officials that they deem insulting to their dignity. In a statement issued after an emergency general assembly meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 2025, the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) made it clear that services at the General OPD, Antenatal Clinic, Specialist Clinic, and Paediatrics OPD would no longer be offered. However, inpatient care will continue for those currently admitted until their discharge.
The suspension follows an incident during the visit of the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to the hospital on April 22, 2025. The doctors are particularly aggrieved by what they describe as “false and biased reportage” from certain media outlets covering the event. In their statement, the doctors called for formal apologies from Health Minister Akandoh and Tamale North MP, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, directed not only to Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa but also to the entire medical staff and specifically the Accident and Emergency Department team. They made it clear that emergency and outpatient services would only resume once they receive appropriate apologies.
Apart from the demand for apologies, the doctors highlighted a long-standing list of infrastructure and resource deficiencies that they claim make effective medical care nearly impossible. The list includes essential items such as a reliable water and electricity supply, regular provision of oxygen, critical medical consumables like gloves, syringes, and disinfectants, and functional sterilization equipment. They also requested vital signs monitors, ventilators for various wards, and incubators for neonatal and pediatric care.
In addition to immediate needs, the doctors outlined several medium-term demands for high-tech diagnostic and treatment equipment, such as MRI machines, CT scanners, Mammography, and fluoroscopy machines. They also called for C-arm devices for surgeries, ABG machines for ICUs, and mobile X-ray units. If these demands are not met within a reasonable time frame, the doctors warned they would reconsider their position.
The DATTH also called for public retractions and apologies from media outlets they accused of misreporting the situation. Until such apologies are issued, the doctors have pledged to refuse engagement with these media houses. Furthermore, any member who feels unsafe in the hospital environment due to hostile conditions will remove themselves from the situation to ensure personal safety. The situation has placed a significant strain on hospital operations and raised serious concerns about the adequacy of the hospital’s resources.
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