Ghana’s renowned heart surgeon, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has advised the government to stay away from appointing the CEO of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, who once served as the boss of the nation’s premier hospital, said the government must give the hospital’s board the free-hand to decide on such appointments and stop interfering in its affairs.

“Government should not be involved in the appointment of Korle Bu CEO and must allow the board to do it,” the cardiothoracic surgeon told Accra-based Citi FM.

Medical watchers have argued over the years that allowing Korle Bu Hospital to run independently will help give it a proper facelift. The major referral hospital has had issues when it comes to the appointment of CEOs in the past due to internal and external politics.

Mid-2014, Health Minister, Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, suspended an earlier decision by his predecessor, Ms Sherry Ayittey to dismiss Rev. Albert Okpoti Botchwey as CEO of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

According to Dr Agyemang-Mensah, after being made Minister, “wisdom” demanded that he takes “some time to study the situation [that led to Rev Okpoti Botchwey’s removal] before making any far-reaching decisions”.

Ms Ayittey had then directed the Board to appoint acting Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Samuel Asiamah, as a stand-in CEO, pending the appointment of a substantive person.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng believes saving Korle-Bu such discomfiture will help it rock shoulders with its counterparts anywhere.