KATH stops admitting patients as consultants remain on strike

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Created on Friday, 14 September 2012 00:00

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KATH stops admitting patients as consultants remain on strike

14 September 2012

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has ceased admitting new patients as the strike action by consultants enters the second week.

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Seriously ill patients who otherwise would have gone on admission have been turned away because there are no consultants to attend to them.

The President of the Junior Doctors association, Dr Lawrence Osei Tutu told graphic.com.gh Thursday, “We simply cannot cope with the terrible situation.”

He said they were only working on patients who were on admission before the strike begun.

The consultants are protesting against the non-payment of their allowances and have sworn not to return to work until all arrears had been paid them.

The management of the hospital said they were making every effort to pay them and appealed to them to return to work.

A visit to the hospital Thursday morning, revealed a situation where scores of patients were leaving for other hospitals.

In spite of the challenges, Dr Osei Tutu promised that the junior doctors would continue to do their best.

He refuted media allegations that many people were dying at the hospital because of the strike action.

According to him, it was nothing new for people to die at hospitals so no one should attribute any death that occurred at the hospital to the strike action.

“The picture is painted that junior doctors are not doing their work which is unfortunate,” he added.

He however admitted that the presence of consultants was crucial in tackling ‘difficult cases'.

Public Relations Officer of KATH, Mr Kwame Frimpong promised that management would continue to engage the consultants in discussions to get them back to work.

From: Daily Graphic