Korle-Bu doctors warn of ‘no bed syndrome’ amid emergency crisis

The Korle-Bu Doctors Association (KODA) has raised serious concerns over the escalating crisis in the emergency department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, citing overcrowding and a phenomenon it calls “No Bed Syndrome.”

In a press statement, the association warned that administrative directives pushing patient admissions beyond the hospital’s capacity have created unsafe conditions for both staff and patients.

The doctors highlighted a series of systemic failures, noting that medical professionals are increasingly forced to provide care in improvised settings, including nursing patients in chairs and on the floor.

According to the association, this crisis not only compromises infection control and delays life-saving interventions but also exposes healthcare workers to significant medicolegal risks and physical exhaustion. The statement specifically mentioned the long-term occupational hazards faced by staff who must frequently squat or bend to treat patients on the floor.

Tensions between the association and government officials escalated following a recent working visit by the Minister of Health on March 21.

While the Minister reportedly found the situation at the emergency department to be “near-normal” and dismissed social media reports as inaccurate, KODA leaders have pushed back, accusing management of “setting the stage” for the visit. The association clarified that the department was intentionally rearranged and outfitted with new supplies specifically for the Minister’s arrival, which they argue masked the reality of daily operations.

KODA emphasized that the crisis is a systemic issue rather than a simple lack of furniture, stating:

“The ‘No bed syndrome’ is more complex than just the availability of space. The provision of 1000 extra beds would not immediately translate into enough health personnel to take care of these patients. The bigger problem revolves around the capacity of other hospitals that are referring these patients as well as coordination to Korle-Bu emergency department. 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 centers.”

In response to these conditions, the association has directed its members to strictly adhere to new professional protocols to protect their medical licenses. These measures include the rigorous documentation of sub-optimal clinical environments in patient folders and the formal escalation of every resource deficit to hospital leadership. KODA further warned that doctors should not perform procedures that violate basic safety standards due to systemic pressure, noting that the legal system would likely not accept such sacrifices.

The association called on the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital management and the Ministry of Health to review the national referral network and provide immediate legal indemnity for staff working under these compromised conditions.

While acknowledging the efforts for temporary solutions, KODA is demanding a transition from “crisis management” to “systemic correction” backed by the political will to implement long-term recommendations from the Ghana Medical Association.