RE: Tamale Teaching Hospital ranked the worst hospital in the Northern Region

The Management of Tamale Teaching Hospital has taken note of a media reportage, which claimed the TTH has been ranked “the worst performing hospital in Northern Region”. We ordinarily would ignore such reportage as unworthy of attention, given that it betrays the reporter’s lack of understanding of both the context and content of the subject matter.

For the avoidance of doubts, there is absolutely no basis for comparison between the TTH and facilities under the Northern Regional Health Directorate given that we operate at different levels. Management also takes particular note of the obvious diversion by the reporter from the real subject matter of the day, i.e. the annual performance reviews of the Northern Regional Health Directorate.

In doing so, the reporter disingenuously deprives patients/clients, and staffs of the Ghana Health Service in the region the opportunity of uplifting themselves of the challenges, strides made and prospects for the future. The Tamale Teaching Hospital is one of the five teaching hospitals in the country with the tripartite mandate of providing quality tertiary healthcare, conducting research and medical training.

The teaching hospitals are each autonomous agencies under the Ministry of Health in match the same way as the Ghana Health Service. The point of convergence between us as a teaching hospital and the Ghana Health Service is as

far as to the level of collaboration. It is therefore out of place to have a situation in which the Northern Regional Health Directorate could rank its health facilities and include the TTH.

The Northern Regional Health Directorate represents a sub governance structure under the Ghana Health Service, but the teaching hospital is a one-stop governance structure with the governing board at its apex. The coincidence that the TTH is in the Northern Region, where the regional health directorate also exist should not to be confused to mean that the TTH is among the list of

facilities under the Northern Regional Health Directorate.

We shudder to think or believe that this is a once more poorly rehearsed attempt to undermine a collective and enviable effort of the TTH in our quest to attain our vision as a hospital, which is; to become the center of excellence, medical training and research.

We dismiss the reportage as untruth and unhelpful and call on all our clients, partners and stakeholders to do same. We believe in and cherish the confidence you have reposed in us and assured you that we are not jolted in the least by the poorly fabricated reportage. We are focused on delivery on our mandate as a teaching hospital.

We remain proud of our evolution, our strides and are equally excited about our prospects going into the future as we continue to grapple with known challenges.

We have no idea why the report was published, and we have no faith in the source of the alleged rating exercise. However, given the unexpected public interest in this issue, we believe it is appropriate to educate both the public and the media at the same time.