National Labour Commission declares KATH strike unlawful, orders doctors back to work

The National Labour Commission (NLC) has ordered doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi to immediately suspend their indefinite strike, declaring the industrial action unlawful and procedurally defective under Ghana's labour laws.

The directive came after the Komfo Anokye Doctors' Association (KADA) announced a total withdrawal of services effective 6:00 a.m. on June 6, 2026, a decision taken at an emergency meeting the previous day in protest against the suspension of the hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo.

What sparked the strike

The dispute comes after Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh's directive to the hospital's Board to suspend Dr Baidoo for two weeks, following a controversy over his decision to halt emergency admissions amid severe congestion at the facility.

KADA condemned the minister's intervention as "unjustified and counterproductive," arguing it undermined efforts to address the hospital's operational challenges and protect patient care.

Minority appeals to KATH doctors to resume work amid ongoing strike

According to a report by 3news.com, the NLC, in a statement, said it became aware of the strike through media reports and noted that the notice of industrial action, contained in a letter dated June 5, 2026, addressed to the KATH Board Chairman and copied to the Chief of Staff, the Minister of Health, and other stakeholders, was improperly served and failed to comply with the procedures set out under the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651).

"KADA is advised that the notice was improperly served because it was not compliant with the relevant provisions of the Labour Law," the NLC stated.

Invoking its powers under Section 139(d) of the Labour Act, the Commission directed KADA to stand down immediately, citing contraventions of Sections 162 and 163 of Act 651, which govern how industrial action must be declared and how disputes should be resolved.

Both parties have been summoned to appear before the NLC on June 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. for a formal hearing.

The Commission said it remains committed to facilitating dialogue and ensuring the dispute is resolved through the proper legal and institutional channels.

ID/BAI

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