The President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Mrs Perpetual Ofori Ampofo, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to government to convene an emergency stakeholder meeting to address Ghana’s persistent “No Bed Syndrome.”
She said the proposed engagement must prioritise increased investment in healthcare, including the allocation of at least 15 percent of the national budget toward the development of emergency health facilities nationwide.
“It is inhumane. It is not standard practice to treat patients in wheelchairs or to nurse patients on the floor. It is wrong, and it means that we have to be proactive in solving the issue,” she said.
“We must address the ‘No Bed Syndrome’ as a public health concern, and we think the government should, within 24 to 48 hours, convene a meeting on it.”
The “No Bed Syndrome”—a long-standing challenge within Ghana’s healthcare system—continues to put pressure on medical facilities and has, in some cases, resulted in preventable deaths. Data from the indicates that the country has had only 19,907 hospital beds since 2015, a figure widely considered inadequate for the growing population.
The strain is particularly evident in referral facilities such as the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, which recently received a donation of 200 beds from the Minister of Health in a bid to ease congestion.
Despite the intervention, doctors at the facility are calling for broader systemic investment. Current figures show that only about four percent of Ghana’s national budget is allocated to healthcare—far below what health professionals say is required to address the crisis.
The GRNMA is therefore pushing for urgent dialogue among stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions. Ofori-Ampofo also urged nurses and midwives not to turn patients away due to the shortage of beds.
“No matter the social standing, every person must have access to healthcare services,” she said. “This requires that government invest in public healthcare so we can all receive care at any point in time when we need it.”
In a related development, the Ghana Medical Association, in a press statement dated March 23, 2026, stressed that the “No Bed Syndrome” goes beyond the mere availability of beds.
The Association noted that increasing bed capacity alone would not resolve the situation without corresponding investments in staffing, equipment, and other critical resources.
Labour Correspondent Daniel Opoku reports that health sector stakeholders are now awaiting government’s response as pressure mounts to address the crisis.
By Daniel Opoku
