The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has provided a variety of medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to enhance its operations, despite the ongoing strike by doctors.
This equipment was delivered on Thursday, April 24, 2025, as part of the Ministry’s initiative to improve service delivery at the hospital, which is a key referral center in northern Ghana.
The supplies consist of ICU ventilators, defibrillators, ultrasound scanners, ECG machines, oxygen concentrators, and patient trolleys. Mr. Akandoh stated that this presentation aims to assist the hospital in caring for patients during this challenging time.
He remarked to journalists, “This support is designed to ensure the hospital can continue to serve the patients who depend on it.” Additionally, the handover included eight digital sphygmomanometers, ten bowls with stands, three kickabout buckets, five instrument cabinets, five ward screens, one operating lamp, and five delivery sets.
The hospital also received one electroencephalogram (EEG) machine, five emergency resuscitation trolleys, five fetal stethoscopes, twenty Ambu bags, five nebulizer sets, five patient trolleys, five wheelchairs, and five examination lamps. Other items provided were five fetal heart detectors, five ECG machines, five bulb suction units, one oxygen concentrator, and one hundred pipette tips.
The delivery included four defibrillators, two Vinno ultrasound scanners with their accessories, one Lowenstein Prisma ventilator, two transport ventilators, three voltage stabilizers, one Vyaire ICU ventilator, and one Drager transport ventilator.
Additionally, the hospital received three Drager ICU ventilators, six Drager ICU cardiac monitors, one Drager warmer, one Drager resuscitaire, two Drager phototherapy units, and two Drager anesthesia machines.
Furthermore, 20,000 face masks, 500 assorted sutures, and two Drager infant incubators were supplied. This delivery occurred just two days after the Doctors Association of Tamale Teaching Hospital (DATTH) declared an indefinite strike, citing the dismissal of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer and a confrontation involving Mr. Akandoh and the head of the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department during an unannounced visit by the minister on Tuesday.
The striking doctors have requested an apology from Mr. Akandoh and the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Mr. Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini. They are also advocating for improved working conditions, which include a reliable supply of water and electricity, sufficient oxygen, and the consistent availability of medical supplies.
Mr. Akandoh reiterated his appeal for the doctors to return to the negotiating table, clarifying that his visit aimed to assess the situation rather than undermine the staff. “I recognize the doctors’ concerns, but we must prioritize the patients who require care,” he stated. “Let us engage in dialogue and seek a resolution.” The Ministry of Health has expressed its willingness to continue discussions with the doctors while addressing the hospital’s long-standing infrastructure and supply challenges.
