The Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abukari II, has dispatched a high-level delegation to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) in a bid to mediate the ongoing strike by doctors of the hospital.
Led by Zangbalun Naa Dr. Yakubu II, Chief of the Zangbalun Traditional Area, the delegation met with both the hospital’s management and representatives of the Doctors Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH).
In a message delivered on his behalf, the Yaa Naa acknowledged the dedication of the doctors but appealed to them to consider resuming work, particularly emergency, walk-in, and specialist services, to help save lives.
He also expressed his willingness to facilitate dialogue between the Ministry of Health and the doctors to find a lasting resolution to the impasse.
“As a neutral facilitator, will convey your concerns to the minister and engage him to take the necessary steps to address your grievances. We implore you to consider the lives and hang in the balance.
“We urge you in the interim to find a way to ensure the continuity of emergency service. We’re willing to facilitate a meeting with your representatives and the minister to discuss the way forward.”
Speaking on behalf of the Acting CEO of TTH on Friday, April 25, Dr. Salifu Alhassan Tiah, Director of Pharmacy at the hospital, expressed optimism that the Yaa Naa’s intervention would yield positive results.
“I want to appeal to colleagues that, as we are here, if there is any difficulty with our subsistence here, the ultimate place we will go to is his royal Highness, and if he is here, we have nothing to do than to accord this delegation the highest of respect, so we plead that we should all do well to take to heart the word they have for us,” he appealed.
The doctors’ strike, now in its second day, has severely affected service delivery at the hospital, leaving patients and their relatives stranded.
Doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) on April 24, suspended emergency and outpatient services indefinitely, citing “unwarranted attacks” from Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Tamale North MP Alhassan Suhuyini.
The decision was made during an emergency general assembly meeting of the Doctors’ Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) on Wednesday, April 23.
It came just hours after an earlier statement from the group condemning an incident during the minister’s visit to the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit on Tuesday, April 22.