President John Dramani Mahama has announced the immediate opening of the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital to the public as part of efforts to ease pressure on emergency units and address Ghana’s persistent No-Bed Syndrome.
The facility, according to the President, will begin receiving patients on Friday, November 6, 2026, providing additional emergency care capacity while the government prepares to expand emergency departments at four major hospitals.
Speaking at the 68th Annual General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association on Friday, Mr Mahama said the government would begin expansion works next year at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.
The expansion programme is expected to increase emergency bed capacity at each facility to at least 10 per cent of its functional bed capacity.
At Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, for instance, emergency beds are expected to increase from the existing 65 to at least 150.
Mr Mahama said the expansion would be accompanied by the recruitment and deployment of additional medical personnel, as well as the provision of equipment, oxygen and other essential supplies to ensure the facilities operate effectively.
“We are therefore implementing measures to expand emergency bed capacity to at least 10 per cent of each facility’s functional bed capacity,” he said.
The President also called for an end to the practice of turning away critically ill patients because of a shortage of available beds.
He said hospitals must assess patients who arrive in critical condition and provide immediate care rather than directing them elsewhere without first attending to their medical needs.
“When a patient arrives in critical condition, we cannot simply say, ‘No bed, no bed, go somewhere else.’ At the very least, the patient must be assessed,” he stated.
He further directed that hospitals unable to provide definitive treatment should stabilise patients within their available capacity before arranging transfers to facilities capable of managing their conditions.
To improve emergency referrals and reduce delays in locating available beds, the government has also piloted an Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System.
The initiative involves seven major health facilities and the National Ambulance Service and is intended to strengthen coordination between hospitals receiving emergency cases.
The measures form part of the government’s broader efforts to improve emergency healthcare delivery, increase hospital capacity and address challenges associated with delays in accessing emergency treatment.
