The Board Chairman of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Professor Titus Kofi Beyuo, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Lambussie, has addressed concerns raised by the hospital’s Senior Staff Association regarding the payment of their 13th-month salaries, as well as their longstanding staff accommodation challenges.

Speaking after a meeting with the Korle Bu Senior Staff Association (KOSSA) on October 2, 2025, Prof Beyuo expressed gratitude to the association for its continuous support to the hospital’s new management and board.

He disclosed that measures introduced by the current leadership have significantly boosted the hospital’s financial performance.

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“The new board and management have implemented several reforms that have increased Korle-Bu’s revenue by almost GH¢4 million monthly.

“We appreciate the staff for their cooperation and urge them to continue supporting our efforts to improve service delivery,” he said.

Prof Beyuo clarified that the payment of the 13th-month salary, which became a subject of discussion at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), was not a unilateral decision by management.

He explained that it was a negotiated entitlement captured in the conditions of service of the various health sector unions, including the Ghana Medical Association, the Health Services Workers Union, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association and the Laboratory Scientists Association.

“This 13th-month allowance was negotiated and signed between the unions and their employers. It has the approval of the Ministry of Finance.

“The real challenge now is the sustainability of funding for it,” he explained.

He added that management was in discussions with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Finance to find a sustainable solution to the financial strain the payment has placed on hospitals.

“All hospitals are struggling to raise the money to pay this allowance. We must find a lasting solution through stakeholder engagements. Until it is renegotiated, we are bound by the conditions of service,” he emphasised.

Prof Beyuo also clarified that while he was not aware of any specific timelines set by the PAC, the hospital would continue to liaise with the sector ministry for the necessary approvals before any further payments are made.

Touching on staff accommodation, Prof Beyuo acknowledged the critical shortage of on-campus housing for healthcare workers.

He attributed the problem to the age of the hospital’s infrastructure and its location in central Accra.

“Korle-Bu is 103 years old, and much of its infrastructure is equally old and dilapidated. We have over 7,000 staff, but only about 12% live on campus. For a tertiary hospital, this is inadequate,” he explained.

He disclosed that the board is exploring Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models, such as the “build-operate-transfer” approach, to develop new staff housing facilities, though he admitted similar initiatives in the past had faced challenges.

The President of the Korle Bu Senior Staff Association (KOSSA), Jatoe Dong, commended the current management for demonstrating commitment to addressing staff welfare but lamented the high attrition rate at the facility.

“Korle Bu loses about 300 staff every month. That’s a huge number, and it’s largely because many are dissatisfied with their working and living conditions.

“We appeal to the relevant authorities to expedite action on the accommodation projects and the 13th-month payment processes,” he said.

Dong added that while other health institutions had received their 13th-month payments in full, Korle-Bu staff were yet to be fully paid, urging the Ministry of Finance to speed up approvals to restore staff morale.

Both management and staff representatives agreed on the need for stronger collaboration with government stakeholders to sustain reforms, improve welfare and enhance the hospital’s capacity to retain skilled personnel.

AM/AE

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