President John Dramani Mahama has named Dr. Abubakar Bawah Abdulai as the new Chief Executive Officer of Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), replacing Dr. Adam Atiku following a high-profile controversy surrounding the death of a patient.
Dr. Abdulai, a senior academic at the University for Development Studies, assumes the role amid growing tensions between the country’s medical professionals and government leadership. His appointment comes just a day after Dr. Atiku was dismissed from his post on April 22, following an impromptu visit by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to the hospital’s emergency department.
The minister’s visit was prompted by the death of a patient, Bavug Salim, who reportedly died due to the lack of a working ventilator. A video of the visit, which has since gone viral on social media, shows a heated exchange between the minister and Dr. Valentine Akwulpwa, head of the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Unit.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) swiftly condemned Dr. Atiku’s removal, calling it a breach of due process and “an abuse of power.” In a strongly worded statement issued April 23, the association demanded an unconditional apology from both Minister Akandoh and Tamale North Member of Parliament Alhassan Suhuyini for what it described as unprofessional conduct during the minister’s inspection.
Dr. Abdulai steps into the role at a critical moment for one of northern Ghana’s leading medical institutions. His leadership will be closely watched as the hospital grapples with both internal governance challenges and broader concerns about infrastructure and patient care across the nation’s public health system.
Source:TheDotNews