Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has defended the suspension of the Chief Executive Officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, describing the action as necessary following the unauthorised closure of the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.

Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, Mr Akandoh said the decision was taken after it emerged that the emergency unit had been closed without the approval of the Health Ministry, contrary to government policy on emergency healthcare delivery.

According to the Minister, the closure directly contradicted a directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama, which prohibits health facilities from turning away emergency cases.

He stressed that the Executive Branch has the authority to take disciplinary action against heads of public institutions where government directives are breached.

“I do not remember any time when the executive is executing punitive actions, it needed the permission of Parliament to do so,” Mr Akandoh told lawmakers.

He recalled that President Mahama had clearly instructed health facilities to prioritise emergency care and ensure that no patient in need of urgent treatment is denied assistance.

“On this floor of Parliament, the President issued a policy direction in the health sector that no health facility should turn away emergency cases, and he added that even if the life of the person must be saved on the ground, we should do so. When the President speaks, it must be implemented,” he stated.

The Minister further emphasised that no individual has the authority to shut down any section of a health facility without the express approval of the Health Minister.

“Let me put on record that absolutely nobody has the right to close any portion of a health facility without the consent of the Health Minister,” he said.