The Ministry of Health (MoH) has challenged the widespread belief that Ghana’s persistent “no-bed syndrome” is caused by a shortage of hospital beds, arguing instead that the problem stems from poor coordination and management of existing bed capacity across health facilities.
Appearing before Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Deputy Minister of Health Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah said data available to the ministry shows that hospital bed occupancy nationwide averages about 60 per cent, indicating that many beds remain available despite recurring reports of patients being denied admission.
“If we have more beds, why are we having no-bed syndrome? I believe the occupancy rate is 60%. So with 100 beds in a hospital, 60 of them are occupied; 40 are open. So now why does somebody come and have a no-bed syndrome?” she asked.
Calls for Real-Time Bed Management System
Dr Ayensu-Danquah attributed the challenge to the absence of a centralised system that provides real-time information on bed availability across hospitals.
She explained that an integrated bed management platform would enable ambulance services and emergency response teams to identify available beds instantly and transport patients directly to facilities with the required capacity.
The proposed system, she said, would also provide up-to-date information on specialised units such as intensive care, maternity and orthopaedic wards, improving emergency referrals and reducing delays in treatment.
“We believe that if we have a proper management system that tells you that, for instance, in real time, Ridge Hospital has one ICU bed, two maternal beds and one orthopaedic bed, when the ambulance is coming, we can know where to take the patient,” she said.
Better Coordination, Not More Beds
The Deputy Minister maintained that the ministry’s data does not support claims of a nationwide shortage of hospital beds, stressing that many health facilities still have unused capacity.
According to her, the key challenge is ensuring that healthcare providers and emergency responders have immediate access to accurate information on where available beds are located.
Her comments come amid continued public concern over cases of patients reportedly being turned away from hospitals because of a lack of available beds—a situation commonly referred to as the “no-bed syndrome.”
Dr Ayensu-Danquah said the Ministry of Health is pursuing reforms to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery, including improving referral systems and introducing technology-driven solutions to enhance coordination among hospitals.
She expressed confidence that a real-time bed management system would improve the use of existing hospital infrastructure, reduce delays in emergency care and help eliminate complaints associated with the no-bed syndrome.
