Ghana’s healthcare challenges, highlighted by reports of patients being treated on floors at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, stem largely from systemic failures in the referral system rather than just a shortage of beds, according to the Ministry of Health.
Ministry spokesperson Tony Goodman acknowledged the long-standing problem during an interview on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (24 March), describing it as a “combination of capacity, coordination and enforcement issues.”
“This has been a persistent challenge. It is not only about beds — it requires a coordinated system-wide response,” Goodman said.
He outlined ongoing reforms, including accelerated specialist training for doctors, new programmes for specialist nurses, and efforts to integrate hospital bed availability into a centralised system accessible to emergency services.
The ministry is also engaging facilities outside its direct control to improve coordination, ensuring ambulances can identify available beds in real time.
Goodman stressed that lower-tier facilities must stabilize patients before referring them to major hospitals, noting that unnecessary referrals contribute significantly to congestion at tertiary institutions.
“We should not have situations where patients are moved from facility to facility without stabilisation,” he said.
Addressing concerns about patients being treated on floors, Goodman defended the practice as a last resort under extreme pressure.
“If a patient has been turned away from multiple hospitals, would you rather they are left untreated?” he asked. “Stabilising them — even under difficult conditions — can save lives.”
He added that a directive not to turn patients away has increased pressure on major hospitals but is necessary to prevent avoidable deaths.
Authorities say improvements will be gradual, with efforts focused on strengthening district-level care to reduce the burden on referral hospitals.
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