Minister for Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has justified the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr. Paa Kwesi Baidoo, stating that the decision was taken after the hospital's Accident and Emergency Unit was shut down without the necessary authorisation.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, June 16, Mr. Akandoh said the action followed what he described as a breach of directives issued by President John Dramani Mahama on the handling of emergency healthcare cases nationwide.

According to the Minister, the President had made it clear that no health facility should deny emergency care to patients under any circumstance, stressing that the directive must be strictly adhered to by all healthcare institutions.

Mr. Akandoh argued that the Executive has the authority to take disciplinary action against officials of public institutions where government policies and directives are disregarded.

He maintained that no section of a public health facility can be closed without prior approval from the Ministry of Health, particularly when such a decision could affect access to critical medical services.

The Minister told Parliament that following the President's directive on emergency healthcare, a public notice was issued indicating that KATH's Accident and Emergency Unit had been closed to new patients.

He said the development raised serious concerns because it appeared to contradict government's policy of ensuring uninterrupted access to emergency medical treatment.

According to Mr. Akandoh, the decision to suspend the hospital's chief executive was therefore necessary to safeguard the implementation of government policy and ensure accountability within the health sector.

The suspension of Dr. Baidoo has generated public discussion, with the Health Ministry maintaining that the measure was taken in the interest of protecting patient care and upholding established administrative procedures.

Government officials have indicated that further steps regarding the matter will be determined following the necessary administrative processes.