TTH Saga: Prime Suspect Apologises

The leader of a pro-NPP vigilante group which carried out an attack on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) on Monday, 13 August 2018, has issued an apology for their misconduct.

In a letter addressed to the CEO of TTH, Dr David Kolbilla, dated 16 August 2018 and copied to the Regional Security Council (RCC) of the Northern Region, the leader of the group, who is currently in police custody, stated: “I, Alhaji Baba Alhassan, spokesperson for the Coalition of Youth Groups in Tamale, wish to render an unqualified apology to the CEO of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, doctors and all categories of health and administrative staff of the institution, patients and the entire population of the region, for the inconvenience our action on the Tamale Teaching Hospital has caused them”.

According to him, “Matters of the TTH must be of great concern to every citizen of this region since it is the biggest referral centre and the only hub for health delivery and learning”.

“We will also use this opportunity to call on authorities to take the matters of the TTH very seriously since there are some evidence of improper management of the facility.

“We appeal to the government to expedite action in the appointment of the board of the hospital to help in the smooth running of the facility,” he added in the letter as he reiterated that they are “deeply sorry for our actions”.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, will visit the region on Friday, 17 August 2018, to try to convince striking health professionals of the hospital to return to work.

The staff declared an indefinite strike following the attack on their CEO.

In a related development, the Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists has withdrawn its services in the hospital in protest to the attack on the CEO.

This follows the strike by health workers (nurses, midwives, lab technicians) of the hospital, who say until the perpetrators are brought to book and a police post is built to ensure their safety, they will not return to work.

The registered Anaesthetists, in a statement, also said they feel unsafe and cannot continue to provide anaesthesia services to the hospital until the following conditions are met.

1. Restore the CEO of TTH
2. Arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of this lawless act 
3. Restore calm and peaceful working environment 
4. Ensure safety and security for all CRAs in TTH

The youth, who attacked the hospital, accused the CEO of adopting a habit of issuing threats to staff, engaging in procurement breaches and neglecting the purchase of key hospital consumables such as examination gloves, needles and syringes, among others.

They also alleged that under Dr Kolbilla’s watch, the Tamale Teaching Hospital keeps deteriorating.

More patients continue to be turned away as health workers in the hospital remain on strike over the attack on the hospital.

Source: ClassFMonline