Mahama Orders Emergency Bed Expansion At Four Major Ghanaian Hospitals

President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to increase emergency bed capacity at four major hospitals in Ghana, with the government targeting at least 10 per cent of each facility’s functional bed capacity as part of efforts to tackle the persistent No-Bed Syndrome.

The planned expansion will cover the Accident and Emergency Centres at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital. Work is expected to begin next year.

Addressing the 68th Annual General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association on Friday, November 6, 2026, Mahama explained that the expansion would go beyond creating additional spaces for patients.

He said the facilities would also receive more medical personnel, equipment, oxygen and other essential supplies to ensure they can operate effectively once the additional beds become available.

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital is expected to experience a particularly significant increase. According to the President, the hospital currently has 65 emergency beds, but the new target would raise the number to at least 150.

Mahama also announced an immediate intervention while preparations for the four hospital projects continue. The Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital is opening to the public, with the President confirming that it would begin receiving patients on November 6.

He said the facility would provide additional emergency care capacity, particularly when hospitals experience a surge in patient numbers.

Beyond infrastructure, the President issued a strong message about how health facilities should handle critically ill patients who arrive when beds are unavailable.

He maintained that patients in critical condition must not simply be turned away because a hospital has no vacant bed. Instead, medical teams must first assess them and provide the care they can offer.

Where a facility cannot provide the definitive treatment required, Mahama said the patient must be stabilised within its capacity before arrangements are made for transfer to a hospital better equipped to manage the condition.

The government is also working to improve the movement of emergency patients between facilities. A pilot Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System has been introduced, involving seven major health facilities and the National Ambulance Service.I

Together, the measures are intended to improve emergency capacity, coordination and access to urgent medical attention across the country.

Source: https://x.com/citi973/status/2118762458265641227?s=46

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