Patients who went to the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) for treatment on Tuesday received the shock of their lives when they were sacked from the facility due to the ongoing doctors’ strike.

Some of the patients who spoke to DAILY GUIDE at the facility bemoaned the long distance they had to cover to seek for healthcare at the hospital, only to be turned away by the staff, adding, “We not sure if we can come back on the 31st May, 2016 a day which was given to us to come back hopefully if the strike ends.”

“My child’s illness is severe to the extent that I cannot send the child back to the district because she needs medical attention,” a patient who comes from Gushegu District narrated.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Dr Atta Ayiteh at the Tamale Teaching Hospital said, “The strike is ongoing and we will not go back to work till our moneys have been paid to us.”

He indicated that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with management a month ago and they assured them of paying all their outstanding arrears, but till now they have not been paid.

Management at the facility, he disclosed, “have been paid but the doctors on the other hand have not received any money in their accounts.”

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Mohammed Misbao, “Payment of the moneys have been made to doctors who save with the hospital’s account with HFB Bank and it’s expected to reflect in their accounts.”

Doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital withdrew their services from the outpatient department with the accident and emergency services from today Monday, May 23, 2016.

Investigations conducted by DAILY GUIDE indicate that doctors at the Tamale Teaching Hospital on May 20, 2016 met and unanimously agreed to embark on a strike action concerning the payment of their fuel allowances.

The strike was reactivated following the non-fulfillment of the promises from TTH management to the doctors’ representatives, leading to the previous suspension of the strike action on the April 20, 2016.