The Chairman of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane, has called for calm and dialogue to resolve the ongoing impasse at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), warning that ordinary Ghanaians are suffering as a result of the dispute.

His appeal comes amid an indefinite strike by KATH doctors and nurses following the two-week suspension of the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. (Med) Paa Kwesi Baidoo, by the Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews' The Pulse on Monday, June 8, Dr. Nawaane described the disruption of healthcare services at one of the country’s leading referral hospitals as unfortunate and urged all stakeholders to prioritise the welfare of patients.

“The suspension of services to Ghanaians is quite unfortunate. We have gotten to a stage where cool heads must prevail,” he said.

The lawmaker stressed the need for immediate engagement between the Ministry of Health, the management of KATH, and the hospital’s governing board to find common ground and restore normal operations.

“I call on the Ministry of Health to sit down with the teaching hospital and the board that has been directed to implement the suspension of the CEO. They should sit down and talk things over and let’s see whether they can broker peace,” he stated.

According to him, while the issues that triggered the strike may be legitimate, the prolonged disruption of healthcare services risks placing the lives of patients in danger.

The strike action has sparked widespread concern among patients, healthcare advocates, and policymakers, with many worried about the impact on healthcare delivery in the Ashanti Region and beyond. KATH serves as a major referral centre for several regions and handles thousands of cases annually, making any interruption to services particularly significant.

Dr. Nawaane also weighed in on suggestions that the industrial action may be politically motivated or intended to damage the image of the Minister for Health and the government.

Responding to such claims, he cautioned against assigning motives without evidence and emphasised the need to focus on resolving the crisis rather than deepening divisions.