The Korle-Bu Doctors’ Association (KODA) has said that the problem at the Accident and Emergency Center at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital goes beyond a shortage of beds, citing a deficient national referral system that is overburdening the facility.
According to a statement released by KODA on March 23, 2026, the emergency unit’s ongoing overpopulation is primarily caused by lower-level hospitals’ incapacity to handle cases, which forces them to refer patients to Korle-Bu as a last resort.
“The provision of 1000 extra beds would not immediately translate into enough health personnel to take care of these patients,” the association said. “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 centres.”
Referral paths in Ghana’s healthcare delivery system are not operating as a cohesive network, which the doctors claim is a reflection of deeper systemic issues.
Therefore, rather than overcrowding a single facility, the doctors’ group is urging hospital administration to work with the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to improve the referral system so that patients can be effectively managed at all levels of care.
The warning coincides with increased public awareness of the state of Korle-Bu’s emergency center due to recent worries about overcrowding and patients receiving care in unsuitable settings.
In addition to the structural problems, the group expressed worries about the legal risks that physicians who operate in such environments face.
It has instructed its members to thoroughly record the clinical situation when caring for patients, particularly when care is given in less-than-ideal locations like the floor because of space constraints.
Additionally, physicians have been instructed to formally notify their superiors, such as the Director of Medical Affairs and Heads of Units, of any instances of overcrowding and resource shortages.
Despite the pressure, KODA asked its members to uphold their ethical and professional standards.
The union cautioned that “the law courts would not accept such a sacrifice,” emphasising that despite challenging working conditions, therapists might still be held accountable for bad outcomes.
The Ghana Medical Association and other stakeholders have already proposed solutions to the problems in Ghana’s healthcare system, according to KODA.
However, it stated that in order to minimise preventable deaths and enhance working conditions for healthcare workers, political will is now required to put these recommendations into practice.
The group further stated that rather than concentrating only on building infrastructure at one hospital, fixing the Korle-Bu crisis will necessitate a system-wide strategy that enhances capacity across all levels of care.
Full Statement Below:
Source: newsthemegh.com