‘Suspend removal of Korle Bu acting CEO’; But pharmacists demand withdrawal of leave letters
The Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, has directed the Board of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) to suspend an earlier decision to terminate the appointment of the acting Chief Executive Officer of the KBTH, Reverend Dr Albert Okpoti Botchwey.
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He was asked to revert to his original position as a board member of the hospital.
The former Minister of Health, Ms Sherry Ayittey, had directed the board of the hospital to dismiss Rev. Dr Botchwey as the acting Chief Executive Officer of the hospital following allegations made by the Senior Staff Association of the hospital that the board and the management of the hospital had spent over GH¢ 1million to purchase luxury vehicles for some directors and deputy directors of the hospital.
Ms Ayittey also requested the board to appoint the acting Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Samuel Asiamah, as the acting Chief Executive Officer.
In a letter addressed to the Board Chairman of the hospital, the minister stated that “wisdom demands that take some time to study the situation before making any far-reaching decisions. I would, therefore, be most obliged if you suspend the implementation of the Ministry of Health’s letter dated July 7, 2014, with reference number MOH/OM/14”.
He also directed the board to take urgent steps to conclude the forensic audit of the Pharmacy Department.
Leave letters
Meanwhile, pharmacists at the KBTH are protesting a directive by the management and the board that four pharmacists should proceed on leave.
A letter signed by the Board Chairman of the hospital, Mr Eddie Annan, and issued to the affected pharmacists explained that the directive was to make way for a forensic audit of the Pharmacy Department.
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The affected pharmacists are the Director of Pharmacy, Mrs Elizabeth Bruce, Messrs Raymond Tetteh, Eric Kyei and Stephen Corquaye.
Petition
In a petition submitted to the management yesterday, the pharmacists demanded the immediate withdrawal of the letters requesting the affected staff to go on leave.
They contended that it was against institutional and administrative procedures for a board chairman to involve himself in the day-to-day administration of the hospital.
“We believe that this is another example of selective intimidation and victimisation, as the listed individuals have nothing specific to do with drug procurement and stock processes,” the workers said.
They added that the drug procurement and stock processes were under the jurisdiction of the Entity Tender Committee and Procurement Unit of the hospital.
Inconclusive final report
Speaking on behalf of the pharmacists, a Principal Pharmacist, Mrs Sulias Bruce, said a draft internal audit report circulating in the media, based on which the four pharmacists were directed to proceed on leave for a subsequent forensic audit, did not include the responses of the department.
She said it was wrong for the internal auditor of the hospital to make a final draft report which did not include the responses of the indicted officials of the department, adding, “The draft internal audit report was not given to pharmacists to finally react to it.”
Mrs Bruce wondered why the department was ignored in the drafting of the final report, adding that the department was not against a forensic audit and welcomed any intended forensic audit ordered by the management.
The pharmacists, however, discounted claims that they were on strike and threatened to take further action should the management and the board of the hospital fail to grant their request.
Making reference to the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, Act 857, the pharmacists said they had the legal responsibility for the supply chain management of medicines which involved product selection, procurement, storage, distribution and the disposal of expired drugs.