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Ashanti Region faces shortage of beds, PPE at treatment centres
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Ashanti Region has complained about shortage of beds and personal protective equipment (PPE) at treatment centres of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), making the management of cases difficult.
According to the Ashanti Regional Director of GHS, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, there was an urgent need to increase the number of beds in the treatment facilities considering the increasing number of recorded cases in the region which stood at 2,403.
Addressing the media here on COVID-19 situation in Ashanti, Dr Tenkorang stated that, almost all the treatment centres were full.
He said the treatment centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital had 18 beds, whilst the centre at Kumasi South Hospital had 20 beds.
“This means that the total number of beds we have is 38, so what we need to do is to increase the number of beds to be able to contain the increasing coronavirus cases in the region,” he said.
The Director said plans were afoot to expand Kumasi South Hospital from the existing 20 beds to 41, whilst work was ongoing at another ward for further expansion.
To support the development, he said seven beds have been secured at Suntreso Hospital and “we are also negotiating with one of our senior doctors who has decided to give us his hospital to be used as a treatment centre.”
He said when “it is finally done; we hope that we can add about 100 beds to the treatment centres making it 138 beds.”
Dr Tenkorang said the directorate had the intention of increasing the number of isolation centres in the region considering the increasing number of recorded COVID-19 cases as the region currently had a total of 207 beds in isolation centres at Ejisu and TUC in Kumasi, which were not enough.
The region has so far recorded 38 deaths, 2,403 cases, 778 recoveries, 156 people are currently in isolation and 38 people are also on admission with one in critical condition.
Dr Tenkorang appealed to the public to obey the strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols, as the number of recorded cases was increasing every day in the region.
He hinted that, the continuous failure of the public’s adherence to the safety protocols would force authorities in the region to re-strategise COVID-19 safety protocol adherence.
Source: Ghanaian Times
News
Minister of Health appeals to Tamale Teaching Hospital striking doctors
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has appealed to the striking doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to calll off the suspension and come to the negotiation table.
However, he refused to apologise as demanded by the striking doctors.
The doctors after a meeting yesterday have withdrawn emergency services following the dismissal of the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital.
This follows an unannounced visit to the hospital by the Minister on Tuesday.
The Minister made the appeal when addressing the media in Accra on Today, April 24 2025.
According to him, dialogue is the only way out to resolve the issue, adding that he was ready collaborate with them.
“I am prepared for us to come around the table and discuss whatever we need to discuss,” Mr Akandoh said.
“My humble appeal to my wonderful medical doctors and health professionals at Tamale Teaching Hospital is that I am the first person to take care of your interests. Therefore, let’s call off the strike and let’s all regroup and strategise going forward,” he concluded.
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Health Minister donates medical equipment to Tamale Teaching Hospital, pledges commitment to reforms
The Minister for Health Kwabena Miintah Akandoh has reiterated government’s commitment to address long-standing challenges in the health sector, describing the health system as one that requires urgent reform and collective responsibility.
He made these remarks during a donation of some essential medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital on behalf of the Ministry of Health.
The donation included a wide range of equipment such as ECG machines, ICU ventilators, cardiac monitors, anesthesia machines, infant incubators, and essential
Consumables amounting to about 35 items.
Among the items highlighted were
Emergency Health Equipment (EHE) sets, nebulizer sets, and medical-grade towels.
The Health Minister acknowledged the difficult working conditions health professionals continue to endure and emphasized that government efforts alone would not be enough to resolve systemic issues.
He called for unity across the health sector and urged all stakeholders, including medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to work together to ensure that the country’s limited resources are used efficiently.
He noted that the wellbeing of the ordinary Ghanaian should be central to healthcare delivery, cautioning against practices that marginalize the underprivileged due to resource scarcity. According to him, every Ghanaian life is valuable, and the system must reflect that belief in both policy and practice.
Mr.Akandoh stressed that his leadership approach is rooted in humility, collaboration, and respect for all health workers. While acknowledging that change may come with challenges, he maintained that cooperation is key to achieving lasting improvements in the sector.
The Minister pleaded with health professionals in the Tamale Teaching Hospital to call off the strike and regroup to strategize on more effective ways to address their concerns through dialogue and collaboration with relevant authorities.
The donation to the Tamale Teaching Hospital forms part of a broader national initiative to modernize medical infrastructure and enhance service delivery in Ghana’s healthcare.
