Stop the political interference at Tamale Teaching Hospital – MP

Deputy ranking member on Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr Robert Kuganab-Lem has charged the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to eschew political appointments and interferences at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).

His comments come in the wake of tension at the TTH over the appointment of a new CEO with the handing over event on Monday, June 12 ending abruptly due to confusion.

The newly appointed CEO, Dr David Zaawumya Kolbila, has indicated that the former CEO of the hospital, Dr Prosper Akanbong, is willing to vacate his position but not until he has been compensated by the Ministry of Health (MoH).

Dr Akanbong, who was appointed in 2014, has refused to hand over to Dr Kolbila, a gynecologist and lecturer at the University for Development Studies Medical School.

According to him, the government, through the Ministry of Health, is supposed to compensate him, hence he is awaiting the package before he hands over.

However, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Binduri has blamed the development on political interference by government.

“It is political interference in my view because when there is a vacancy or when there is an issue, the Public Services Commission is there. It is the Public Services Commission through the Ministry of Health which will announce the vacancy for people to apply, but it’s not what we see,” he told Class FM’s Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on 505 on Monday June 12.

He was of the view: “If there is no letter directing him [Dr Akanbong] to hand over, then it is a very serious case and we will like to reduce political interference in managing healthcare.”

He said such tension was not needed at the hospital as “health must be delivered in an environment that is cordial and peaceful”.

“If we create tension among healthcare professionals, I can assure you that we are not going to get the maximum output within these healthcare institutions,” he noted.