Medical personnel including nurses and doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital in the Northern Region have withdrawn their services indefinitely following the ejection of the hospital’s chief executive from his office Monday.
Though the chief executive, David Kolblia has since Tuesday resumed his official duties amidst security presence at the facility, the staff say they do not feel safe hence want their security concerns addressed before they resume work.
A statement issued by the doctors on Tuesday and signed by their spokesperson Dr. Michael Damah, want the Health Minister to put measures in place to ensure their safety.
“All Out-Patient (OPD) services, Specialist Clinic Services, Antenatal Clinic Services and Accident and Emergency Services rendered by doctors are duly suspended,” the statement read in part.
Although some security personnel have been positioned to ensure safety at the hospital premises, staff of the hospital seem not to be satisfied with the security provided.
The workers are demanding that authorities bring those involved in Monday’s attack to book.
“The Regional Security Council should take practical steps to avert future occurrences and publicise those steps in writing to ensure the hospital staff and patients of their safety,” the statement read.
They are also demanding that the perpetrators of Monday’s crime apologise to the CEO and staff of the hospital, as well as sign a bond of good behaviour not to repeat any such act.
They noted that failure by authorities to adhere to their demands would lead to more dire decisions to be taken by the staff.
This decision, according to the staff, will only be reversed if their demands are fully met.
According to the staff, until Monday’s attack said to have been masterminded by some members of the pro-NPP group Kandahar boys, there had been similar attacks on them by some youth groups in Tamale in the past.
Speaking on TV3’S News 360 Tuesday, Dr. Damah said the driving away of the CEO is not the first of its kind in the history of violent actions against the hospital.
He stated that previous CEOs have also been confronted with similar attacks from youth groups in the area.
“This is just unbecoming of people in town…thinking that because of certain rights they perceive they have, that they can go out and sack whoever they wish. We are interested in our safety, we are interested in our security and ability to work with our peace of mind,” he stated.
He noted that they are committed to ensuring that they are provided with the needed security, with perpetrators of the attacks against them properly dealt with.
Source: 3 News
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