The CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr. (Med) Paa Kwesi Baidoo, has been summoned following his decision to suspend accident and emergency admissions at the health facility.
In a letter dated June 3, 2026, and signed by the Chief Director of the Health Ministry, Desmond Boateng, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo was summoned to explain reports that the hospital temporarily stopped admitting new patients at its Accident and Emergency Centre.
According to the ministry, their statement follows news circulating on social media suggesting that KATH’s Accident and Emergency Centre was full and unable to admit new cases.
They also cited the hospital’s Head of Public Affairs on Channel One TV, who reportedly reiterated management’s position regarding the centre’s inability to accept additional patients.
The Health Ministry stressed that the situation is in violation of President John Dramani Mahama’s directive that public hospitals must not turn away emergency cases.
The statement issued by the Health Ministry read, “The Ministry of Health has taken note of a statement with the above caption making rounds on social media. Further, the Head of Public Affairs of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital was also heard on Channel 1 T V news, affirming the decision of hospital management on the inability of the emergency centre to admit new cases.
This is contrary to a clear directive of His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana, to hospitals not to turn away emergency cases.
You are by this letter requested to appear before the Hon. Minister of Health on or before 12noon on Thursday, June 4, 2026, to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for contradicting a clear directive of the H.E. President of the Republic of Ghana.
We count on your cooperation”.
It will be recalled that President John Dramani Mahama has told Ghana healthcare workers they do not need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient.
Mahama warned all health facilities against turning away patients who report to their facility for emergency treatment.
According to John Mahama, every Ghanaian who seeks medical attention must be attended to, explaining that health workers do not need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient.
Speaking to the nation on Friday, February 27, President Mahama stated, “This year, the government will fully roll out a free primary healthcare programme, removing all cost barriers at the primary level where it is mostly needed, while strengthening prevention, screening, and health promotion, especially for non-communicable diseases”.
“Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health is expected to issue guidelines to eliminate the unacceptable no-bed syndrome. Patients facing medical emergencies must be received and given help, if even under makeshift conditions. You don’t need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient”.
Mahama boldly warned, “No patient must be turned away from any health facility they report to”.
He further revealed plans to increase capacity at the Ridge Hospital by implementing phase two of the project.
“In the meantime, the government will expand capacity by implementing the Ridge Hospital phase two project to increase the number of beds at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. We will also continue and complete the police hospital and also continue and complete the La General Hospital”, Mahama added.
Some Ghanaians reacting to the development stated, “For many years, the hospital has seen no major development or expansion. Yet rather than address that, the Asantis prefer to expend their energy on futile pursuits”.
A netizen added, “The directive of ‘don’t turn emergencies away’ is not sufficient. What is the protocol to follow when such a situation arises? Was that followed or not? Seeking to punish due to media info is not correct”.
“Their emergency centre has a capacity of 37 beds
They squeeze 61 by admitting patients in substandard conditions.
On the day they had too many cases
What else could they have done?
Oh my Ghana”, a netizen added.
One X user added, “They won’t think of how to expand the hospital oo
Always finding someone else to blame for their incompetence
Forming useless committees for allowance”.
See the post below:
The Ministry of Health has summoned the CEO of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr. (Med) Paa Kwesi Baidoo, following reports that the facility’s Accident and Emergency Centre was full and unable to admit new patients, a situation the Ministry says is in violation of President… pic.twitter.com/DVVgJVdFnG
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) June 3, 2026
