Government begins pilot of national emergency bed management system
The government has begun piloting a national emergency bed management system as part of efforts to tackle Ghana’s persistent “no bed syndrome” in hospitals.
The Ghanaian government has launched a pilot program for a national emergency bed management system aimed at addressing the country's ongoing "no bed syndrome" in hospitals. Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh explained that the system provides real-time visibility of available beds and patients occupying emergency spaces. A command center has been established at Ridge Hospital to oversee the initiative.
The ministry can monitor emergency bed availability from their office using a screen displaying relevant data. The pilot phase initially covers selected regional hospitals and teaching hospitals. This system also tracks the duration patients spend in emergency wards, allowing officials to question prolonged stays, especially when hospitals report a shortage of beds.
The minister emphasized that the system is not designed to add more beds but to optimize the management of existing resources. The government is concurrently expanding emergency capacity at major hospitals, such as Korle-Bu, Komfo Anokye, Tamale, and the 37 Military Hospital. Korle-Bu, for instance, currently has around 67 emergency beds, whereas the hospital has over 1,000 beds.
A new 400-bed facility is under construction as part of a broader redevelopment project. All beds are barcoded, and each facility has designated commanders responsible for inputting data into the system. The ambulance service is integrated into the system to determine optimal patient destinations. The government insured all its ambulances in 2025, and they plan to add 100 new ambulances in 2027 to bolster the fleet.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
