The country’s recurring “no-bed” syndrome is a disturbing indictment of the country’s emergency response arrangements.
The sight of critically ill patients being turned away from hospitals or left waiting for admission while their conditions deteriorate is unacceptable.
President John Dramani Mahama’s announcement of plans to expand the Accident and Emergency (A&E) units of four major hospitals is, therefore, a welcome and necessary intervention.
Under the proposed programme, emergency beds at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital will be increased to constitute at least 10 per cent of each facility’s functional bed capacity from next year (read our story on pages 16 & 17).
The proposed expansion at Korle Bu, from 65 to at least 150 emergency beds, is particularly significant.
It exposes the inadequacy of existing emergency infrastructure at a major national referral centre.
However, the country must resist the temptation to regard the provision of additional beds as the ultimate solution.
A bed without medical personnel, equipment, oxygen, medicines and the necessary supporting services is little more than furniture.
The President’s assurance that the expansion will be accompanied by adequate staffing, equipment and essential supplies is encouraging.
Equally important is the planned introduction of the Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System (IBMRCS).
This digital platform, involving major hospitals and the National Ambulance Service, could transform emergency response by enabling ambulance teams and referring facilities to identify hospitals with available capacity and coordinate patient transfers.
For too long, patients and their relatives have been left to navigate an inefficient referral system, moving from one hospital to another in desperate search of a bed.
This is an inhumane burden that must end.
Technology should make it possible for hospitals to communicate directly, share accurate information and organise referrals before patients arrive at receiving facilities.
But digital coordination must not become an excuse for refusing immediate care.
President Mahama was right to insist that critically ill patients must first be assessed and stabilised, even when a hospital has no available bed.
No patient should be turned away without an appropriate clinical assessment.
This principle must be enforced through clear national guidelines and professional accountability.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), through its President, Professor Ernest Yorke, has rightly identified the broader dimensions of the problem.
The “no-bed” syndrome is not simply a shortage of emergency beds; it reflects weaknesses throughout the patient-care journey.
Delayed investigations, slow specialist reviews, discharge bottlenecks and inefficient referrals all contribute to congestion in emergency departments.
Hospital managers must, therefore, examine their internal systems and eliminate avoidable delays. Patients who are medically fit for discharge should not occupy beds unnecessarily, while those requiring specialist attention must receive them promptly.
Efficient patient flow is as important as expanding infrastructure.
Ultimately, ending the “no-bed” syndrome demands sustained investment in healthcare workers, emergency medicine, ambulance services, equipment, reliable referral networks and effective hospital management.
The Daily Graphic urges the government to work closely with the GMA, hospital administrators and other stakeholders to establish measurable implementation targets and publish regular progress reports.
Parliament and civil society must also maintain oversight to ensure that promised resources reach the facilities for which they are intended.
The proposed reforms offer a promising opportunity and the government must now turn that promise into a lasting national commitment.
