A tense scene unfolded at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) on Tuesday morning as Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, accompanied by Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini, stormed the facility to confront staff over the recent death of a patient.
The incident, captured on camera, showed the Minister furiously demanding answers from visibly intimidated hospital workers, sparking public debate over the appropriateness of his conduct and the state of Ghana’s healthcare leadership.
The dramatic visit came on the heels of widespread social media outrage following reports of alleged medical negligence leading to a patient’s death at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency unit.
The confrontation, streamed live and widely shared online, showed the Minister raising his voice and interrogating hospital staff in an open courtyard.
The staff, some seemingly startled, were seen responding in hushed tones, repeatedly answering, “Yes, sir,” as the Minister pressed for explanations.
Critics have since questioned the Minister’s approach, comparing it to a recent emotional episode in Accra where the Lands Minister tearfully addressed the public via camera over a separate national issue.
Now, in Tamale, citizens are asking if the Health Minister’s on-camera clash with healthcare personnel is truly a show of leadership or a misplaced publicity stunt.
“What we need is systemic reform and investment in our hospitals — not cameras capturing officials berating frontline workers,” a healthcare advocate in Tamale told the media.
Meanwhile, the management of Tamale Teaching Hospital has officially responded to the public uproar by announcing a full-scale investigation into the incident.
In a statement, the hospital confirmed that the patient in question had been referred from another facility and required a specialized procedure that is currently unavailable at TTH.
Compounding the tragedy, the hospital revealed that all four Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds — the only ones serving the entirety of Northern Ghana — were fully occupied at the time of the patient’s arrival.
These limitations, according to preliminary findings, may have contributed to the patient’s untimely death.
Despite the emotionally charged nature of the issue, hospital authorities are calling for calm and caution.
“We urge the public to refrain from making premature conclusions. A thorough internal investigation is ongoing, and we commit to publishing the findings once completed,” the statement said.
The hospital also expressed its condolences to the bereaved family, emphasizing its commitment to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in the delivery of critical and emergency care services.
The clash between the Minister and the hospital staff raises broader questions about healthcare governance and the working conditions medical professionals endure across Ghana.
Healthcare workers at TTH, already grappling with limited infrastructure and resources, now find themselves under intense political and public scrutiny.
–BY Daniel Bampoe
