GMA Raises Alarm Over Violent Disruptions at Northern Regional Hospital

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has raised strong concerns following a viral video showing a group of young people forcefully invading the Northern Regional Hospital, formerly known as the Tamale Central Hospital. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, unfolded in broad daylight and disrupted clinical services at the facility.

According to eyewitness reports, the youth stormed the premises shortly after the hospital opened for daily services. They locked up the Medical Director’s office and several administrative units before erecting barricades at the entrance of the Outpatient Department. Patients scheduled for review, laboratory services and emergency referral were left stranded, and some hospital staff were compelled to flee the scene out of fear for their safety.

In its official statement signed by Prof. Dr. (Med) Ernest Yorke, President, and Dr. (Dent) Richard Selormey, General Secretary, the GMA described the actions of the group as lawless and deeply worrying. The Association stressed that the invasion endangered both patients and healthcare workers while posing a significant risk to hospital equipment and property.

Preliminary information suggests that the group claimed to be acting in protest over internal management concerns, although they failed to engage the facility’s grievance resolution channels. The GMA notes that this incident mirrors similar attacks recorded in other regions, where youth groups bypass institutional complaint procedures and resort to threats, intimidation and physical blockades in health facilities.

The GMA is calling on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the incident and ensure that all individuals responsible are arrested and prosecuted. It has also appealed to traditional leaders in the region to call the youth to order and caution against acts that destabilize public health facilities.

The Association stressed that the health sector operates under well-defined systems for addressing management and service delivery complaints, and no group has the authority to take the law into its own hands. It further urged the Ghana Health Service to guarantee immediate protection for the Medical Director and the entire hospital workforce while steps are taken to resolve concerns raised at the facility.

The GMA says it is monitoring the situation closely and stands ready to take further action if threats to doctors and other health workers continue.