Fix Emergency Infrastructure – GMA Tells Government
By Maame Efua Kwaduah
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called for urgent and sustained investment in emergency healthcare infrastructure.
GMA warned that recent congestion at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) is a reflection of broader systemic weaknesses in Ghana’s health delivery system.
The concern follows a temporary suspension of emergency admissions at KATH’s Accident and Emergency Centre on Tuesday, June 2, after the facility became severely overstretched.
Management of the hospital explained that the centre, originally designed for 37 beds, was handling 61 patients across critical care zones, with several others waiting to be attended to. The hospital has since resumed limited emergency admissions after clearing the backlog.
In a statement, the GMA said the situation should not be viewed as an isolated incident but rather a “wake-up call” for government to strengthen emergency care systems nationwide.
It stressed that without deliberate expansion of emergency facilities and the deployment of specialised personnel, similar congestion crises will continue to occur at major referral hospitals.
The Association urged policymakers to prioritise infrastructure investment at all levels of healthcare delivery, rather than focusing mainly on administrative queries following such incidents.
It argued that Ghana’s emergency care system remains underfunded and overstretched, placing both patients and health workers under significant pressure.
The GMA also expressed concern over a reported query letter issued by the Ministry of Health to the Chief Executive Officer of KATH. It warned that such communications, if not carefully handled, could create negative public perceptions of health facilities and demoralise frontline workers already operating under difficult conditions.
While acknowledging improvements in the situation at KATH, the Association maintained that the incident highlights the urgent need for stronger referral systems, expanded emergency units, and improved resourcing of regional and district hospitals to handle cases closer to communities.
It further called for a more collaborative approach between regulators and hospital management in addressing capacity challenges, stressing that emergency healthcare delivery requires system-wide solutions rather than punitive responses.
The GMA concluded that every Ghanaian deserves timely access to quality emergency care, and urged government to treat the situation at KATH as an opportunity to reform and strengthen the country’s emergency medical infrastructure.
