President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to expand accident and emergency departments at four of Ghana's major hospitals, in a new push against the "no-bed syndrome" that leaves emergency patients waiting for care.

Four hospitals, one target

Speaking at the 68th Annual General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association at Miotso, near Prampram, on Friday, 6 November, Mr Mahama said work would begin next year on the emergency centres at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.

The government wants emergency bed capacity at each facility to reach at least 10 per cent of its functional bed stock. At Korle Bu, which has about 1,500 functional beds but only 65 in its accident and emergency department, that would mean raising emergency capacity to at least 150 beds. The expansion is to be matched with staff, equipment, oxygen and essential supplies.

Stabilise first, then refer

Mr Mahama also directed hospitals not to turn away patients in critical condition because of a lack of available beds. Emergency cases must first be assessed and stabilised before any referral is arranged, he said, describing it as part of a broader response that covers the whole emergency care pathway, from the first call for help through admission and safe discharge.

In the meantime, the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital began receiving members of the public on 6 November, adding capacity for surges in emergency cases. The Ministry of Health is also piloting an Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System across seven facilities, including the National Ambulance Service, to help hospitals find available beds and coordinate transfers. The government is procuring 100 new ambulances and restoring another 100 broken-down ambulances to service.