Ghana’s persistent “No Bed Syndrome” has been described as a national public health crisis requiring urgent, system-wide reforms to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery and prevent avoidable deaths.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says the problem goes beyond a shortage of hospital beds, pointing to weaknesses in emergency response, patient referrals, healthcare financing, infrastructure and the availability of trained medical personnel.

Speaking at the association’s 68th Annual General Conference, GMA President Professor Ernest Yorke called for the introduction of an Emergency Care Act to guarantee timely assessment and treatment for patients facing medical emergencies.

He said patients should not be left moving from one hospital to another in search of available beds. Instead, healthcare facilities must assess and stabilise emergency cases within their capacity before arranging appropriate referrals.

GMA Calls for Nationwide Bed Management System

The GMA has called for the expansion of the electronic hospital bed management system currently being piloted to cover health facilities across the country.

The system is expected to help hospitals and ambulance teams identify facilities with available beds and coordinate patient transfers more efficiently.

The association also wants dedicated hospital bed management teams with the authority to coordinate referrals and ensure patients are directed to facilities capable of providing the care they need.

Other recommendations include expanding hospital bed capacity, introducing arrangements for patients when wards reach capacity, strengthening ambulance services and equipping district hospitals with essential emergency and diagnostic facilities.

Emergency Care Act and Sustainable Funding

The proposed Emergency Care Act would establish minimum standards for emergency healthcare delivery and provide a legal framework for financing emergency services.

The GMA also wants a dedicated and sustainable emergency care fund to ensure that patients receive life-saving treatment without financial barriers.

The association has suggested exploring contributions from the National Health Insurance Scheme and private vehicle insurance premiums to support emergency treatment and ambulance transfers.

Ambulance Service Calls for Wider Reforms

Chief Executive Officer of the National Ambulance Service, Dr George Kojo Owusu, has also called for an Emergency Care Act and a national real-time bed-tracking system.

He argued that the problem requires coordinated action across emergency infrastructure, referral systems, healthcare financing, workforce capacity and information management.

Dr Owusu cited the death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Henry Amissah, who was reportedly turned away by three hospitals after being stabilised by ambulance personnel following a road accident in February 2026.

He said the incident demonstrated why Ghana needs a functioning emergency care system rather than relying solely on administrative directives.

Government Introduces Digital Bed Management System

President John Dramani Mahama has announced the piloting of an Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System to help hospitals and ambulance teams identify facilities with the capacity to receive emergency patients.

The pilot involves major health facilities, including Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, the 37 Military Hospital and the University of Ghana Medical Centre, alongside the National Ambulance Service.

The President has also announced plans to expand emergency units at four major hospitals, with the aim of increasing emergency beds to at least 10 per cent of each facility’s functional bed capacity.

At Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, the emergency unit is expected to increase from 65 beds to at least 150.

The government has further announced the opening of the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital to the public to provide additional capacity for emergency cases.

The GMA maintains that tackling the No Bed Syndrome will require sustained investment, effective coordination and accountability across the healthcare system.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that every patient receives timely assessment, stabilisation and appropriate treatment without being turned away because of gaps in emergency care.

Also Read:Mahama Urges Journalists To Stop Searching For Non Existent Scandals