The Minority Caucus in Parliament has rejected the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), arguing that persistent bed shortages at the facility stem from inadequate health infrastructure rather than managerial failure.
The caucus said the government’s decision to suspend the CEO does not address the underlying causes of Ghana’s recurring “No Bed Syndrome,” which has placed significant pressure on major referral hospitals.
The statement, signed by Dr. Nana Ayew Afriye, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Health Committee, described the move as a diversion from deeper systemic challenges, including delayed hospital projects, limited capacity expansion, and weaknesses in the national referral system.
According to the Minority, KATH continues to operate under severe strain because several key health facilities meant to ease its burden remain incomplete or not fully operational.
It specifically cited the Ashanti Regional Hospital at Sewua, the Afari Military Hospital, and selected Agenda 111 district hospitals at Trede and Kokoben-Oforikrom as projects expected to reduce patient congestion at KATH but which have yet to deliver their intended impact.
Despite substantial public investment in these facilities, the caucus said delays in commissioning and operationalisation have left KATH overwhelmed, resulting in persistent congestion and bed shortages.
“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 stressed.
The Minority further questioned why government opted to suspend the hospital’s Chief Executive instead of accelerating efforts to complete and operationalise critical health infrastructure across the Ashanti Region and other parts of the country.
It also referenced the 2026 national budget, which identified the Sewua Hospital as one of several key health projects requiring urgent attention to strengthen Ghana’s healthcare delivery system.
Beyond infrastructure concerns, the caucus urged government to address long-standing challenges in the health sector, including staffing shortages, inadequate facilities, and inefficiencies in the referral system.
The Minority is therefore calling for the immediate revocation of the KATH CEO’s suspension pending the outcome of any independent investigation, alongside urgent steps to operationalise completed hospitals and fast-track stalled projects nationwide.
It also appealed to the Minister for Health to adopt a more consultative approach in handling sector-related disputes, warning that administrative actions taken without broad stakeholder engagement risk deepening tensions within the healthcare system.
While backing concerns raised by the Ghana Medical Association and the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association over due process, the caucus urged restraint and dialogue to prevent disruptions in patient care.
“The health sector requires solutions, not scapegoats,” the statement concluded, insisting that only sustained investment in infrastructure and system reforms can resolve Ghana’s recurring hospital bed shortages.
