KATH CEO Suspension ‘Knee-jerk’ – Minority Caucus Blames “No Bed Syndrome” on Stalled Hospitals

The Minority Caucus in Parliament has described the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, KATH, as “unfortunate, reactionary, and knee-jerk”, saying it fails to address the real causes of the hospital’s “No Bed Syndrome”.

In a statement signed by Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, Ranking Member of the Health Committee, the caucus said blaming the KATH CEO alone ignores broader structural failures that successive governments have acknowledged for years.

The Minority said pressure on KATH stems largely from delayed and abandoned health infrastructure projects meant to serve as alternative referral facilities across the middle and northern belts.

It cited the 250-bed Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua and two 100-bed Agenda 111 hospitals at Trede and Kokoben-Oforikrom, all commissioned in 2024 but still largely non-operational nearly two years later.

The caucus argued these facilities were built specifically to reduce the burden on KATH.

“The persistent ‘No Bed Syndrome’ is not fundamentally a leadership problem at KATH. It is a capacity problem. It is an infrastructure problem. It is a referral system problem,” the statement said.

The Minority is demanding government immediately revoke the suspension and reinstate the CEO pending an independent investigation. It also called for urgent operationalisation of all completed hospitals intended to ease pressure on KATH.

The caucus further urged the Minister of Health to adopt a more consultative approach and dialogue with the Ghana Medical Association and KATH Doctors Association to restore normal services and prevent industrial action.

“Ghana’s healthcare challenges require leadership, planning, and long-term solutions, not actions that risk diverting attention from the fundamental issues at stake. The health sector requires solutions, not scapegoats,” Dr. Afriye stated.