Casual Workers at Tamale Central Hospital Begin Sit-Down Strike Over 5 Months of Unpaid Salaries – Sanitation Deteriorates Across Wards
Casual staff, primarily orderlies, at the Northern Regional Hospital (also known as Tamale Central Hospital) have embarked on an indefinite sit-down strike to demand payment of five months of outstanding salaries, severely affecting sanitation and daily operations at the facility.
A Channel One News team that visited the hospital on Monday, March 23, observed clear signs of neglect: overflowing refuse bins, unclean floors, and a strong, unpleasant stench emanating from washrooms in key areas including the Children’s Ward, Male Ward, Maternity Ward, and several other sections.
Patients and remaining health workers have expressed growing concern over the deteriorating hygiene conditions, which pose risks to infection control and overall patient care in one of the Northern Region’s busiest referral hospitals.
Workers’ Demands and Hardships
Speaking to Channel One News, Adam Sulemana Baba, Secretary of the orderlies, explained that the group — many of whom have served as casual workers for nearly 15 years — can no longer continue without pay.
“We are here for almost about 15 years as casual workers. And we have a problem with our salary. We have worked for almost five months without salary, and due to that, that’s why we went on this strike. We even went to our management during the Ramadan fasting to explain our situation,” he said.
The workers emphasised that the prolonged non-payment has made it impossible to meet basic household needs, including food, rent, school fees, and medical expenses for their families. They vowed not to resume duties until all arrears are fully settled.
Impact on Hospital Operations
Although clinical staff (doctors, nurses, and other professionals) continue to provide essential services, the absence of orderlies responsible for cleaning, waste disposal, patient transport, and general upkeep has led to rapid decline in environmental hygiene.
Hospital management has not yet issued an official public statement on the strike or the salary delays. Sources indicate internal discussions are ongoing, but no concrete timeline for payment resolution has been communicated to the affected workers.
The strike highlights persistent challenges faced by casual and contract staff in Ghana’s public health sector, including irregular payments, lack of job security, and delayed integration onto permanent payrolls despite years of service.
Patients and visitors have appealed to authorities to urgently address the salary arrears to restore normal sanitation and prevent further deterioration of conditions at the hospital.
The Northern Regional Health Directorate and the Ministry of Health are expected to respond to the situation in the coming days as pressure mounts from patients, labour groups, and the media.
