Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has announced plans to chair a committee on Monday, February 16, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent “No Bed Syndrome” incident that led to the death of a patient in the hospital.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Friday, February 13, the Minister expressed deep concern over the reports that a patient had lost his life after being denied emergency care due to the unavailability of beds at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Ridge Hospital, and the Police Hospital.
“I was devastated when I heard that somebody had lost his life through this ordeal. We are going to investigate this matter. By Monday, the committee should be in action, and I am going to chair it myself. We will invite all interested parties and get to the bottom of the matter,” he stated.
The Minister stressed that although the “No Bed Syndrome” remains a systemic challenge, it would be inappropriate to apportion blame without a thorough investigation, underscoring the need to ascertain the full facts before any action is taken.
Beyond the immediate probe, the Minister revealed plans to establish a centralised call centre to monitor bed availability across hospitals. The initiative, he said, would provide real-time visibility of vacant beds and direct patients to facilities with capacity, as part of broader reforms being considered by the Ministry.
The investigation follows the death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Amissah, who was involved in a hit-and-run accident at the Nkrumah Circle Overpass on February 6, 2026.
Despite being stabilised by Emergency Medical Technicians from the National Ambulance Service, he was reportedly refused admission by the three major hospitals in Accra over a period of nearly three hours before he died.
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