The Korle-Bu Doctors’ Association has cautioned that challenges at the Accident and Emergency Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital extend far beyond bed shortages, pointing instead to deep-rooted weaknesses in Ghana’s healthcare system.

In a statement dated March 23, 2026, the Association attributed persistent congestion at the facility to an overstretched national referral system, where lower-level health facilities frequently transfer cases they are unable to manage.

According to the group, this has effectively turned Korle-Bu into a default destination for critical cases, placing enormous pressure on its emergency unit.

“The provision of 1,000 extra beds would not immediately translate into enough health personnel to take care of these patients… any number of beds provided in Korle-Bu would be filled up in no time,” the statement noted.

The Association stressed that the issue reflects broader structural gaps, particularly the lack of a coordinated and efficient referral network across the country.

It has therefore called for closer collaboration between hospital authorities, the Ministry of Health, and the Ghana Health Service to strengthen patient referral pathways.

Amid renewed public concern over overcrowding and reports of patients being treated in unsuitable conditions, the group also highlighted the legal risks faced by doctors working under such pressure.

Members have been advised to carefully document conditions under which care is provided, especially in cases involving severe congestion or limited resources, and to formally report such situations to their supervisors.

The Association further urged doctors not to compromise professional and ethical standards despite the challenges, warning that clinicians could still be held accountable for adverse outcomes.

While acknowledging that proposals to address these issues already exist—many put forward by the Ghana Medical Association and other stakeholders—the group emphasised that the real challenge lies in implementation.

It concluded that resolving the crisis will require a system-wide approach that strengthens healthcare delivery at all levels, rather than focusing solely on expanding infrastructure at a single facility.