Akandoh clashes with Tamale Teaching Hospital staff over faulty equipment
A surprise visit by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to the Tamale Teaching Hospital has sparked intense discussions after he confronted staff about broken-down medical equipment that continues to impact patient care.
The unannounced inspection, which took place on Monday, was part of the Minister’s effort to assess service delivery and infrastructure in one of the Northern Region’s top referral hospitals.
However, what was expected to be a routine tour quickly turned into a tense encounter when it became evident that several critical machines were not functioning.
Among the faulty equipment were ventilators in the emergency unit, sterilisation devices, diagnostic tools, and MRI machines.
The Minister, visibly frustrated, questioned why patients had to be sent to private facilities for essential services when the hospital should be capable of handling such cases.
READ ALSO: Medical Negligence: Tamale Teaching Hospital responds to reports on patient’s death
“I am not here to attack anyone. But when lives are being lost because a ventilator is not working, we must talk about it. Hiding the truth will not fix it,” the Minister said.
The confrontation followed the recent death of a patient at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, which was reportedly linked to the unavailability of a ventilator.
While some staff tried to explain that they were not trying to hide issues, the Minister insisted the system needed urgent intervention.
Health authorities are expected to address the situation in the coming days, as public concern over healthcare infrastructure continues to grow.