TAMALE NORTH MP AND HEALTH MINISTER PAY SURPRISE VISIT TO TAMALE TEACHING HOSPITAL

Member of Parliament for Tamale North and Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, joined the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandor, on a surprise visit to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) to assess the state of healthcare delivery at the facility.

The visit revealed troubling conditions under which healthcare professionals operate, with the hospital reportedly underperforming due to years of neglect and what was described as “incompetence” — issues believed to predate the current leadership of the hospital.

Despite the challenges, Hon. Suhuyini commended some recent efforts by the hospital’s leadership, highlighting their dedication, sacrifices, and forward-looking plans aimed at improving healthcare services.

However, the Deputy Minister did not hold back his disappointment over some key concerns. In particular, he recounted a disturbing interaction with a highly regarded Head of Department (HOD), who questioned the national reaction to a recent patient death, saying he didn’t understand “why the loss of a life is being blown out of proportion.” Hon. Suhuyini said he strongly cautioned the doctor against such remarks, stressing that even one life should be enough to prompt serious attention to systemic failures. The Health Minister reportedly supported this view, though the HOD resisted their position.

Another major concern raised was the long-standing breakdown of the hospital’s MRI machine. Instead of being repaired, parts from the TTH machine are reportedly being removed to fix a similar one in the southern part of the country whenever it breaks down — a practice both leaders described as unacceptable.

Hon. Suhuyini reaffirmed his commitment, along with that of the Health Minister and President John Mahama, to restore the hospital’s full functionality. “His Excellency President Mahama and Hon. Minister Akandor will fix TTH, Insha Allah,” he assured.

The visit forms part of ongoing efforts to revamp the country’s major health facilities and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare nationwide.