Tony Goodman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman, has stated that no patient should be told there is “no bed” at a health facility without proper assessment by an authorised medical professional.
Speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5 FM on February 25, hosted by Chief Jerry Forson, Mr. Goodman stressed that it is inappropriate for security personnel or unauthorised staff to turn patients away from hospitals.
According to him, only qualified personnel with the appropriate authority should determine whether a facility has the capacity to admit a patient.
He explained that in emergencies, patients must first be stabilised before any decision is taken regarding bed availability or referral.
“There is no need to simply tell a patient there is no bed.
Someone in a responsible position must assess the patient.
At the very least, the patient should be stabilised before any determination is made,” he stated.
Mr. Goodman noted that patients often have nowhere else to go when turned away, as there may be no immediate alternative facility or doctor available.
He emphasised that the priority of every health facility should be to provide immediate care and ensure the patient’s condition is managed before any transfer arrangements.
Touching on long-term solutions, the spokesperson revealed that the Ministry is taking steps to address gaps in specialised healthcare delivery. He announced that new training programmes will soon be rolled out to build capacity in critical areas of healthcare.
According to him, the Ministry will begin advertising for nurses to undergo specialised training in fields such as oncology, critical care, emergency care, nephrology, and other key areas.
He explained that over the years, most nurses have been trained as general nurses, but the current focus is to equip more professionals with specialised skills.
“We have not trained enough specialists in these areas over the years. What we mostly have are general nurses. Now we want to specialise many of them so that when critical issues arise, they are well-equipped to respond,” he added.
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