Call Tamale youth to order – ASHAG to RCC, chiefs

The Association of Health Service Administrators Ghana (ASHAG), has called on the Northern Regional Coordinating Council and traditional authorities to call the youth in Tamale to order following the attacks on the Tamale Teaching Hospital Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr David Kolbilla, by a coalition of pro-NPP youth including vigilante group Kandahar Boys, on Monday, 13 August 2018.

The youth, who attacked the hospital, accused the CEO of adopting a habit of issuing threats to staff, engaging in procurement breaches and neglecting the purchase of key hospital consumables such as examination gloves, needles and syringes, among others.

They also alleged that under Dr Kolbilla’s watch, the Tamale Teaching Hospital keeps deteriorating.

This development which has attracted wide condemnation from Ghanaians has resulted in a strike action by the nurses and midwives at the hospital.

In a press statement on Tuesday, 14 August 2018, the nurses and midwives said: “We are by this release registering our utmost disgust in respect of the recent happenings at the Tamale Teaching Hospital regarding the invasion, manhandling and locking of the office of the CEO of the hospital.

“We are particularly worried that this is not the first time such a thing is happening in TTH. Past CEOs like Dr Nsia Asare, Dr Tapang, Dr Kenneth Sagoe, Dr Prosper Akanbong and now Dr David Kolbilla, have all suffered this violent act from lawless groups of people within Tamale without any repercussions.

“We, as nurses and midwives of the hospital, condemn these acts of lawlessness that have bedevilled the institution over the past years. Many nurses, midwives and other staff, have faced brutalities over the years at the hospital at the hands of these lawless groups".

Speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM hosted by Chief Jerry Forson on Wednesday, 15 August 2018, Fred Effah Yeboah, President of ASHAG, noted that the recurrence of this act is affecting the image of the region, hence, action must be taken immediately to forestall such developments.

He said: “This matter places a great responsibility on the regional coordinating council and the chiefs in Tamale, they have to caution the youth to desist from such acts due to the effect those actions have on the image of the region.

“Already, due to these attacks some health workers are planning on relocating to other parts of the county to work and you know the implication that it'll have on health delivery in the region.

“This is not the first time this attack is happening, it has happened to about five CEOs of the hospital, it must stop.”