The Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Atik Adam, has been dismissed by President John Mahama following reports of mismanagement and medical negligence that resulted in the death of a patient at the hospital.
The decision comes few hours after the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, paid an unannounced visit to the facility in Tamale yesterday to assess the situation.
Mr Akandoh expressed dissatisfaction with the deteriorating state of healthcare delivery at the facility with several essential medical equipment reportedly non-functional.
The minister discovered what he described as disturbing conditions of the hospital, such as broken-down medical equipment, unsanitary washrooms and general mismanagement of the hospital’s infrastructure.
Some of the equipment had broken down for about six years now, compelling patients to resort to private facilities for services at exorbitant fees.
Mr Akandoh chastised the management and described the situation as “unacceptable and disgraceful,” particularly for a premier referral facility serving the entire Northern Ghana and beyond.
Negligence
The visit was to assess the current state of the facility and also obtain first-hand information regarding an alleged medical negligence that resulted in the death of a patient who was referred to the facility a few weeks ago.
The deceased, Bavug Salim, was rushed to the red zone of the Emergency Ward of the hospital in an unconscious state, but was allegedly left unattended for several hours for unexplained reasons, resulting in his death.
The unfortunate event sparked public outcry in the Tamale metropolis and on social media, with many calling for swift investigations into the matter.
In response to the incident, the minister has set up a three-member committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the patient. The committee is expected to present its report within two weeks.
Source: Graphic Online