Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has inspected the National Command Centre for Bed and Referral Management at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital as part of efforts to tackle Ghana’s longstanding challenge of the “no bed syndrome” and improve emergency healthcare delivery.
The bed management system provides real-time information on bed availability across participating hospitals, enabling emergency response teams to identify suitable health facilities before dispatching ambulances. The initiative is expected to strengthen referral services, reduce delays in emergency care and promote the efficient use of hospital bed capacity nationwide.
During the inspection, Mr. Akandoh said the system would help eliminate situations where critically ill patients are turned away from health facilities even though beds may be available at other hospitals.
He explained that the platform would also enable health authorities to track emergency patients who remain on hospital beds for more than 24 hours and investigate factors contributing to prolonged stays.
According to the Minister, the initiative forms part of broader government efforts to enhance emergency care infrastructure and expand capacity at key referral facilities, including the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, 37 Military Hospital and Tamale Teaching Hospital.
Project Lead for Bed Management, Dr. Justine Osei, disclosed that more than 650 hospitals have so far been captured within the system, with over 5,000 beds mapped for continuous monitoring and updates.
She noted that the pilot phase currently covers teaching hospitals, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the University of Ghana Medical Centre. The platform also tracks ambulance movements and matches patients to health facilities based on bed availability, clinical needs and proximity.
Under the pilot programme, 10 ambulances have been deployed in the Greater Accra Region and another 10 in the Ashanti Region to support emergency referrals and patient transfers.
The Ministry of Health plans to extend the bed management system to all regional hospitals before rolling it out to district-level facilities across the country.
Health officials believe the initiative will significantly improve coordination within the healthcare system, enhance emergency response times and ensure that patients receive timely access to appropriate medical care.