The parliamentary select committee on health has expressed concern about the sad state of the Tamale Teaching Hospital. According to the committee, TTH needs special attention among all hospitals in the country because it finds itself in a very difficult environment.
The committee held a close-door meeting with both management and the doctor’s association on key issues before meeting general staff. The committee, while recommending to the government to pay special attention to TTH challenges, commended the various unit heads and staff for managing with few and non-existent critical equipment.
The only referral facility for the five regions of the north is bedeviled with management, equipment, consumables and human resource challenges for years. This has led to patients accusing healthcare professionals and management reneging on their responsibility on providing the needed healthcare as a tertiary facility.
Responding to staff concerns about the challenges, Deputy ranking member of the committee, Mr Patrick-Boakye-Yiadom told staff of the hospital that Komfo Anokey Teaching Hospital in Kumasi (KATH) is facing similar problem though it may not be the same as TTH.
He explained that the King of Ashanti, Ashantehene intervened and called on people to donate towards the refurbishment of the hospital.
Clients, the deputy ranking said, are also making topping up payments to support the hospital renovation. He charged the public relations unit of TTH department to up their gains and engaged the community members, especially opinion leaders, about their operations.
Mr Boakye-Yiadom attributed the altercation between health and deputy ministers at the accident and emergency to lack of equipment and call for more effective community and stakeholders’ engagement.
He advised the hospital against a practice where medicines are prescribed for clients and they are asked to go outside to buy means the hospital is given out their revenue.
Deputy ranking member Patrick Boakye-Yiadom and Nadoli kaleo MP Mr Anthony Mwinkara Sumah spoke about challenges and measures to help address the problem.
Chairman of the committee, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, wants to work with health professionals and they must assist the committee to discharge their duties as people representatives.
Some of the problems like the water problem and unstable electricity Dr Mark Kurt noted are of national character and need a multi sectoral approach by the ministry of energy and health ministry to address it.
