Why Ghana does not have enough doctors to support KATH?

The Ministry of Health is urging management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in the Ashanti Region to make use of the limited number of doctors working in the facility, after the hospital suspended emergency services over shortage of doctors.

"As a developing nation, it will be difficult for us to get all that we need because of the limited resources that we have as a nation,” Mr. Cudjoe said in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.

“If for example, they want a complement of 800 doctors to handle their services, but because of the limited resources, they are given more than half, they should make do with that in the interim as we work around the clock to ensure that, in subsequent years, more will be added.”

The government on Friday gave financial clearance for 130 doctors to be posted to KATH from October this year.

The said doctors will replace some 150 doctors who left the facility after completing their housemanship.

Facing acute shortage of doctors, management of KATH conveyed an emergency meeting following which it was agreed to suspended new emergency admissions.

An internal memo issued by the directorate of surgery to the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital however said that inpatient care for over 250 patients who were currently on admission would continue.

“Considering our current staff strength, we are of the opinion that further admissions will endanger the lives of patients and impede the provision of quality care. We would like to put on record that this problem was anticipated by all residents in the hospital and management was notified in writing two weeks ago. Unfortunately, management is yet to communicate a response.

"This problem has been recurring for the past 7 years and we hope an appropriate action is taken to resolve this issue permanently,” the surgery directorate added.