The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has issued a sharp rebuke to the Minister of Health and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, condemning their recent actions during a visit to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), which culminated in the dismissal of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.
In a strongly-worded statement dated April 23, 2025, and signed by GMA President Dr. Frank Serebour and General Secretary Dr. Richard Selormey, the association described the Minister’s conduct as “an affront to due process and an abuse of power.”
“The GMA strongly condemns the unfortunate treatment of the doctors at the Emergency Unit of the Hospital during the visit by the Minister of Health and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale North and subsequent dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Hospital,” the statement read.
The association expressed deep concern over what it called a premature and sensational handling of a tragic patient death, which the Minister publicly scrutinized.
According to the GMA, such actions constitute a breach of medical ethics and patient confidentiality.
“The ill-informed media audit of the death of the patient raises serious issues of breach of patient confidentiality, exposes the facility to medico-legal risks, and prejudges the issue even before the matter is duly investigated,” the GMA asserted.
Cyberbullying and Threats to Medical Staff
The association also revealed that the head of the Emergency Unit at TTH has come under attack, both online and in person, following the public criticism by government officials.
“The head of the Emergency Unit has already received threats and cyberbullying, putting him and other staff at risk of physical harm and psychological trauma,” the GMA stated.
They warned that these actions, if not curbed, could seriously demoralize the hospital staff and diminish public confidence in Ghana’s health system.
“These acts, if continued, have the tendency of demoralizing committed workers and reducing public confidence in the health system,” the statement said.
Call for Accountability and Apology
While acknowledging the concerns raised by the patient’s family and the political figures involved, the GMA maintained that there are established processes for addressing grievances—ones that were blatantly sidestepped.
“There exist clearly laid down processes and procedures to resolve concerns or grievances rather than these circuses of public engagement which often only whip up public sentiments without addressing the underlying issues or providing any lasting solutions,” the association cautioned.
The GMA is demanding an unqualified public apology from both the Minister of Health and the Tamale North MP.
“The Ghana Medical Association therefore demands an unqualified apology from the Minister of Health and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North for the unwarranted attack on the staff involved,” it declared.
They also called on hospital management to protect its staff and provide psychological support to those affected.
“We call on the management of the facility to ensure the safety of the staff involved and provide the necessary psychological support to them,” the association urged.
Broader Concerns About the Health Sector
This incident, the GMA noted, reflects deeper systemic issues in the healthcare sector—challenges that cannot be solved by scapegoating health workers.
“The GMA is committed to dispassionately discussing the lingering systemic issues in the health sector and finding lasting and holistic solutions rather than public blaming of doctors and other health workers for issues that go beyond their control,” the association stated.
The statement ended with a reminder of the difficult conditions under which Ghanaian health workers operate, often dipping into their own pockets to provide care.
“It is worthwhile noting that doctors and other health workers work in trying circumstances with limited resources, oftentimes using their meager personal resources to deliver care,” it emphasized.
The GMA says it is closely monitoring the situation and will “advise our members appropriately in due course.”
