The Korle Bu Doctors’ Association (KODA) has said that it has observed with grave concern the worsening state of emergency care and referrals to the Accident and Emergency department.
The Association said, recent administrative directives have led to a surge in patient admissions that far exceed the physical and human resource capacity of the Accident and Emergency Centre.
“While we remain committed to the “No Bed” policy of not turning away any patient brought to the emergency room, the current overcrowding has forced healthcare workers to provide care in non-ideal and improvised settings. This status quo is unsustainable and poses significant risks to both patient recovery and professional integrity,” the Association stated in a press release dated March 23.
According to KODA:
- Overcrowding compromises infection control, delays critical interventions, and increases the likelihood of medical errors.
- Medicolegal Vulnerability: Providing emergency care on the door, in chairs, or in hallways places doctors at immense legal risk should adverse events occur.
- Physical and Mental Strain: The current environment is leading to rapid burnout and physical exhaustion among staff, which further jeopardizes the quality of care.
- Occupational hazards: squatting or bending to take care of a patient of the floor poses significant trauma to the spine of healthcare professionals, the effect of which would be appreciated in the near future.
Referring to a recent visit by the Minister of Health, KODA noted that, “the Minister together with KBTH management team members paid a working visit to the emergency department on Saturday 21st March 2026. This was apparently necessitated by a video seen on social media showing patients being nursed in chairs and on the floor. The Minister of Health apparently met a near-normal situation during his visit and therefore believes the social media publication was inaccurate.”
“Korle-Bu Doctors Association would like to set the records straight as follows:
a. The environment on the day of the minister’s visit was not a reflection of what actually happens daily at the emergency. It is normal practice to prepare prior to a visit by a minister state. This arrangement is not new whenever a government official plans a visit to a hospital. Eg: New bedsheets are provided for all beds including those previously without bedsheets, everything is re-arranged to look perfect. Etc. KODA believes that, accepting the actual situation on the ground is an important step towards the solutions.
b. That, the ‘No bed syndrome’ is more complex than just the availability of space. The provision of 1000 extra beds would not immediately translate into enough health personnel to take care of these patients.
c. The bigger problem revolves around the capacity of other hospitals that are referring these patients as well as coordination to Korle-Bu emergency department. Any number of beds provided in Korle-Bu would be filled up in no time, because the referring hospitals don’t have the capacity to take care of the conditions they are referring to the higher centers.” They explained.
Read full PRESS RELEASE here.
