GMA threatens withdrawal of service at Bimbilla Hospital

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has vowed to end the services of medical doctors at the Bimbilla Medical Center if their lives at the facility cannot be protected.

The GMA in a press statement issued on Monday, August 14, 2023, and signed by the president of the association, Dr Frank Serebour, and its Acting General Secretary, Dr Richard Selormey said “The GMA strongly condemns the lawless acts of the youth of the town which have put the life of the Medical Superintendent of the hospital and other staff as well as the safety of property in danger.”

The statement added, “The GMA is closely monitoring the situation in the facility and will advise our members appropriately in due course. However, we would like to emphasize that if the threats and acts that threaten lives and properties persist. We will be left with no choice but to ensure that no doctor returns to the facility either now or in the foreseeable future since their safety cannot be guaranteed.

“Ghana Medical Association (GMA) therefore call on the Municipal Chief Executive, the regional minister, the member of parliament for the area, traditional leader and all stakeholders to immediately call the youth to order and provide adequate protection for lives and property.”

Attack

This comes after the medical superintendent at the hospital, Adam Barhama, was chased out of his office last Friday, August 11 by angry youth who demonstrated against him, demanding that he, the accountant, and the administrator leave the premises.

The police escorted the three men to Yendi for their safety.

They returned to the hospital, but the youth went to drive them out again.

The youth accused the medical superintendent of mismanagement, among others.

MCE Intervention

Municipal Chief Executive for the area, Abdulai Yaqoub who spoke to Citi News in an interview said, “we met with the youth leaders and condemned their actions, as they did not seek permission for the demonstration.”

“The police commander reprimanded them, and they admitted their mistake. I have forwarded the petition they submitted to the regional minister, and he has visited the hospital. The water supply has been restored, and the hospital now has water, but the doctors are not around. When the youth demonstrated, we had to escort the medical superintendent and his accountant to Yendi for their safety. The situation is still not safe, but we are making progress. As it stands, Bimbilla hospital has no doctor to attend to patients, and this is going to be a major challenge, as the hospital is a major one in the area.”

The MCE said he is expecting the regional health director to visit the area to address the many underlying issues at the hospital.

“I was expecting the regional health director to visit the area to see what is going on. It is not only the water issue that has triggered the current situation. If he had visited, he might have heard or seen the other issues. I think the regional director has not been helpful.”

The MCE said the medical superintendent disrespected the traditional authorities by turning down their invitation. He said the traditional authorities would have called the youth to order, but the attitude of the medical superintendent did not help.

“I think the medical superintendent did not help matters. The traditional authorities invited him, and he disrespectfully did not go. The traditional authorities are those who would have called the youth to order if they were misbehaving, but in this case, the medical superintendent did not show them any respect, so how could they intervene?”

He called on the youth to exercise patience as they wait for a response to their petition.

“I call on the youth to exercise patience, as I have submitted their petition and we are waiting for a response. I plead with them to be calm.”