The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) has appealed to doctors and other health workers at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to call off their industrial action and return to work as efforts intensify to resolve the issues that sparked the dispute.

In a statement dated June 7, the Council warned that continued industrial action could impose avoidable hardship on patients, their families and the wider region.

It emphasised that its intervention is not intended to apportion blame but rather to restore normalcy at KATH and improve the prevailing situation.

"We respectfully appeal and pray to the leadership and membership of the unions to call off the industrial action and resume normal services," the statement said.

"The ARCC assures you of its commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Health and all stakeholders to secure a swift, fair and lasting resolution to the matter and restore calm and confidence within the health sector," the statement added.

The appeal comes in the wake of an indefinite strike declared by KATH doctors and nurses, who withdrew services in protest against the suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.

They argue that the CEO's suspension was unjustified, particularly regarding decisions made during a recent emergency congestion crisis at the hospital’s Emergency Department.

According to them, management’s temporary restriction on new emergency admissions was a necessary clinical measure to safeguard patient lives amid severe overcrowding.

Following engagements with union leaders and key stakeholders, the Council said it had taken note of the concerns raised by the unions and had begun discussions with the Ministry of Health and other relevant parties to facilitate an amicable resolution and de-escalate tensions.

According to the ARCC, the intervention is aimed at restoring normal operations at the country's second-largest referral hospital while protecting patients from the effects of service disruptions.

"As discussed during the meeting, the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate will continue to support KATH by coordinating the transfer (reverse referral) and management of stabilised patients to appropriate secondary-level health facilities across the region," the statement said.

The Council explained that the arrangement is intended to provide immediate relief and ensure continuity of care while efforts are made to resolve the impasse within a week.

The ARCC further assured residents of the Ashanti Region that government remains committed to improving healthcare delivery and expanding access to specialist services.

It cited ongoing efforts to complete and operationalise key health facilities, including the Sewua, Afari, Oforikrom and Trede hospitals, as part of broader measures to strengthen healthcare services and improve patient outcomes in the region.

"The Government remains committed to strengthening healthcare delivery within the Ashanti Region," the statement noted, adding that work on the Kath Lab facility is also progressing steadily.

While expressing support for the concerns raised by the unions, the Council stressed the need to prioritise patient welfare and avoid prolonged disruptions to healthcare services.