Tamale Teaching Hospital CEO Relieved of Duties Over Patient Death Linked to Equipment Shortage

President John Dramani Mahama has relieved Dr. Adam Atiku, Chief Executive Officer of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), of his duties amid an investigation into the death of a patient at the facility’s Accident and Emergency Ward. The patient is reported to have died due to the unavailability of a ventilator.

In a statement dated Monday, April 21, the hospital expressed condolences to the bereaved family and confirmed that a committee has been established to probe the incident. Management urged the public to refrain from speculation until investigations are complete, pledging transparency and promising to share the findings.

The hospital acknowledged that, at the time of the incident, all four ICU beds in the facility—which serves the entire Northern Region—were occupied. The patient, who had been referred from another facility, required a specialised procedure the hospital could not perform due to limitations in both equipment and expertise.

Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, visited the hospital on Tuesday, April 22, to assess the situation firsthand. He expressed frustration over the state of disrepair, noting that critical equipment—including ventilators, MRI scanners, and sterilisation tools—was out of service.

Calling the situation “an unacceptable state of neglect,” the minister questioned why basic medical services were being outsourced and criticised the lack of regular equipment maintenance. In response, he announced a new policy directive that will create a dedicated account to fund the maintenance and replacement of medical equipment in health facilities nationwide.