KATH strike: 45-year-old man dies after he was turned away

A 45-year-old man has died after he was turned away from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, (KATH) following an ongoing strike by medical staff there.

Nathaniel Ayamga, who resides at Aburaso in Kumasi, was rushed to the Hospital by his brother after he complained of severe body pains. But they were turned away because doctors and nurses were not available to attend to them.

He was later rushed to the SDA Hospital at Asuyeboah in Kumasi where he was pronounced dead. Brother of the deceased who wants to remain anonymous told Ultimate Radio’s Nana Oye Diabene, his brother may have survived if he had been attended to at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

Narrating his sad ordeal, the brother of the deceased who pleaded anonymity, said he called in a taxi to quickly help them rush his sick brother to the Hospital only to meet some security personnel and other staff who told them there were no doctors at the Hospital to see to him.

“We got there and we were told they were on strike just because of a missing child. So I asked the driver if he could take me to the SDA Hospital. He drove us there where he died on arrival.”

He recounted that the doctors at the SDA Hospital tried to resuscitate his brother and quickly put him on drips and oxygen but to no avail.

He is thus appealing to the striking health workers to return to work in order to save more lives.

The doctors have refused to work in protest against porous security at the Hospital which they blame for the attacks on some staff over a missing dead baby. They have been holding several meetings to decide whether or not to return to work.