Doctors at the Pediatric Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) are attending to critical cases, in spite of a directive by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) for withdrawal of emergency services.

According to a source at the hospital, the decision is part of a contingency plan by the hospital’s management to protect lives.

A week into the doctors’ strike, there is no end in sight for the industrial action as the demands for conditions of service for the medical officers are yet to be met. About 700 doctors at KATH have laid down their tools, paralyzing operations at the hospital.

The action has left the patients stranded at public healthcare facilities across the country.

The Out-Patient Department at the KATH is deserted. Some patients have no choice but to settle at one of the OPDs expecting divine intervention to heal them.

Beds at the maternity ward which usually had a lot more expectant mothers are empty with no health worker in sight.

Most of the patients are piled up at the entrance of the hospital with the hope of getting doctors to attend to them.

The situation at the Pediatric is however different – doctors and nurses are attending to critical cases.

“My daughter had a swollen leg and we were transferred from the Holy Family Hospital to KATH. So far so good; everything is going on perfectly; doctors are attending to my son,” said father of a patient.

Gynecologist at the hospital, Dr. Ernest Kwarko wants his colleague doctors to compromise and return to the negotiation table.

“It is possible to make compromises and go back to the negotiation table so the public does not suffer unduly,” he appealed.