Health Minister Akandoh suspends KATH CEO through board for suspending admission of new cases at emergency centre due to congestion
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has directed the Board of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to suspend Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, for two weeks with immediate effect.
The suspension letter, dated June 5, 2026, and addressed to the Board Chairman of KATH, did not indicate whether the two-week suspension was without pay.
The Head of Public Affairs at KATH, Kwame Frimpong, is also to be investigated by the board per the minister's directive, for granting a media interview to explain KATH management's decision on emergency admissions.
The decision by the Minister of Health followed the CEO’s directive for the suspension of admission of emergency cases at KATH on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
In a letter to the board directing the suspension, the minister indicated the directive was “Pursuant to section 36 (1) of the Ghana Health Service and Teaching Hospitals Act, 1996 (Act 526)."
"I am respectfully directing the board to suspend the CEO for a period of two weeks for causing to be announced the suspension of admissions to the hospital’s emergency centre.”
It said the CEO would be required to report to the sector minister upon the expiry of the two weeks.
It further said the CEO admitted before the minister during a meeting on Thursday, June 4, 2026, that he acted contrary to the clear directive of President John Dramani Mahama by that said announcement.
The letter indicated that the said meeting was attended by the Chief Director, the Technical Advisor and the Legal Advisor to the Minister.
The letter stated that the minister also took note of an interview granted by KATH's Head of Public Affairs to Channel One TV regarding the hospital's suspension of admissions of new emergency cases.
It added that the announcement by the Head of Public Affairs Unit, Kwame Frimpong, was also contrary to the President’s directive and therefore requested the board to undertake a thorough investigation to establish on what authority he made those comments.
Further, whether it was a management decision for him to grant the said interview. Where necessary, the appropriate sanctions should be applied. You are requested to submit a report to me within two weeks,” it added.
Summon letter
On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, summoned the Chief Executive Officer of KATH, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, following the hospital’s decision to suspend the admission of new cases at the emergency centre due to congestion.
A query letter signed by the Chief Director of the ministry, Desmond Boateng, said the ministry took note of a statement issued in connection with the matter, making rounds on social media.
It said the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the hospital was also heard in a media interview affirming the decision of the hospital's management on the inability of the emergency centre to admit new cases.
It said the decision was contrary to a clear directive by President John Dramani Mahama to hospitals not to turn away emergency cases.
"You are by this letter requested to appear before the Minister before 12pm on Thursday, June 4, 2026, to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for contradicting a clear directive of the President," it concluded.
Resumption of operations
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) announced that the hospital’s accident and emergency centre was full and unable to admit new cases, the facility resumed full operations to admit only dire emergency cases.
On Tuesday, June 2, 2026 it was announced that KATH’s accident and emergency centre was full and overflowing with waiting patients and was, therefore, not in a position to admit new emergency cases for the next 24 hours.
