NO ONE CAN CLOSE HOSPITAL UNIT WITHOUT MY CONSENT - HEALTH MINISTER

The Minister of Health, Hon Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has stated that “nobody has the right to close any portion of a health facility without the consent of the Health Minister.”

Addressing Parliament, Mr. Speaker, the Minister said that after the President’s directive, a press statement was issued to the public announcing that the Accident and Emergency Department of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, KATH, was closed and no more patients could be received.

“I immediately invited the CEO and enquired whether what he had done was not contrary to the position of the President. The man admitted and apologized to me and other officers,” he told the House.

To send a clear signal, the Minister said he proceeded to have the CEO “step aside for 2 weeks” pending investigations, and that the Public Relations Officer, PRO, will also be investigated. “This was a decision I needed the approval of the House to do,” he added.

On recruitment of health workers, the Minister clarified that the proper process is to open application portals for qualified Ghanaians. “If you have any clarification or issues, the reasonable thing to do is to file a question for me to appear and answer. I don’t need Parliament’s approval to open a portal,” he said.