The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has issued a notice of industrial action, declaring its intention to strike effective June 7, 2026, in solidarity with the Komfo Anokye Doctors Association (KADA) and other health worker organizations.
The decision comes as a direct response to the recent two-week suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer by the Minister of Health.
In a letter addressed to the KATH Board Chairman, the GRNMA district secretariat expressed strong opposition to the ministry’s directive. The association emphasized that penalizing the hospital’s leadership does not address the systemic challenges plaguing the facility.
“The two-week suspension of the Chief Executive Officer per directives of the Minister of Health is unnecessary and is definitely not the solution to the enormous pressure, infrastructural challenges, congestion, inadequate logistics, and resource constraints confronting the hospital on a daily basis,” the leadership stated.
They further argued that “patient safety, quality healthcare delivery and the protection of patients cannot be achieved with the suspension of the CEO,” pointing out that health professionals are already operating under extremely difficult conditions.
As one of the largest referral and teaching hospitals in Ghana and the broader sub-region, KATH struggles with an overwhelming volume of patient referrals from across the country.
According to the GRNMA, the existing infrastructure, equipment, and medical supplies have failed to keep pace with the rising demands placed on the institution.
The association has outlined specific demands to avert the looming crisis, calling on the Ministry of Health to expedite the operationalization of long-awaited health facilities to ease the burden on KATH, and demanding an urgent retooling and infrastructural expansion of the main hospital and its referral networks.
Crucially, the striking workers are demanding the “immediate withdrawal of the suspension of the CEO of KATH and empowering him to manage the hospital to save lives and preserve the physical and mental health of health professionals”.
The GRNMA has made its position clear regarding the timeline for the industrial action, giving authorities a strict ultimatum.
“We wish to state categorically that, effective 8:00am 7th June 2026 Nurses and Midwives at KATH will join the strike if the directive from the Honourable Minister for Health is not reversed,” the association warned.
While urging the KATH Board to intervene swiftly to preserve peace and prevent widespread disruption to critical healthcare delivery, the association maintained its stance that systemic improvements are long overdue, concluding that “health professionals deserve better”.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana