BY Grace Zigah
Operations at the Northern Regional Hospital—popularly known as Tamale Central Hospital—have been disrupted following a sit-down strike by casual workers over five months of unpaid salaries, raising serious concerns about hygiene and patient safety at the facility.
The industrial action, which began this week, has already begun to impact sanitation across key wards in the hospital. A visit to the facility revealed deteriorating conditions, with overflowing waste bins and foul odours reported in critical areas including the Children’s Ward, Male Ward, and Maternity Ward.
Patients and healthcare workers have expressed concern about the implications of the situation, warning that poor sanitation could expose vulnerable patients to infections and further strain healthcare delivery.
Speaking to media on Monday, March 23, the Secretary of the orderlies, Adam Sulemana Baba, said the workers had been left with no option but to withdraw their services after months of unpaid labour.
“We have worked for almost five months without salary, and that is why we have gone on strike,” he said, adding that many of the affected workers have served the hospital for close to 15 years as casual staff.
According to him, attempts to resolve the issue through management—including appeals made during the Ramadan period—have yielded no results, leaving workers struggling to meet basic living expenses.
The striking workers insist they will not return to duty until all outstanding salaries are paid, a position that threatens to prolong the sanitation challenges at the hospital if swift intervention is not made.
