President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the expansion of emergency units at four major hospitals, announced plans to buy 100 ambulances and opened a military critical care hospital to civilian patients in an effort to address Ghana’s “no-bed syndrome”.
Speaking at the Ghana Medical Association’s (GMA) 68th annual conference at Central University in Miotso, near Prampram, on Friday, November 6, Mahama said construction of the expanded emergency centres would begin in 2027.
The programme covers Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Tamale Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital. Each facility is expected to allocate at least 10% of its functional beds to emergency care.
Korle Bu has 1,500 functional beds, but only 65 are currently assigned to its Accident and Emergency Department, Mahama said. The GMA has previously warned that treating emergency patients on the floor is common at major referral hospitals.
“At Korle Bu, for example, achieving this target would mean more than doubling the current emergency bed capacity from 65 to at least 150 beds,” he said.
The President said the expansion would also include extra staff, oxygen, medical equipment and essential supplies.
Military hospital to receive civilian patients
While the four hospitals wait for the 2027 construction work, the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital will accept civilian patients from Friday, November 6, Mahama said. The move is intended to help manage increases in critical cases.
“When a patient arrives in critical condition, we cannot simply say, ‘No bed, no bed, go somewhere else.’ At the very least, the patient must be assessed,” he said.
He instructed hospitals to stabilise critically ill patients within their capacity before arranging transfers.
The Ministry of Health is also piloting an Integrated Bed Management and Referral Coordination System. It will connect Korle Bu, Komfo Anokye, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, 37 Military Hospital, the University of Ghana Medical Centre and the National Ambulance Service.
The government will purchase 100 new ambulances for the National Ambulance Service and spare parts to repair a further 100 vehicles currently out of service. The measures are expected to return 200 ambulances to active duty.
Mahama said contractors had mobilised for a new 400-bed maternity and children’s block at Korle Bu and would soon return to the stalled 509-bed maternity and children’s block at Komfo Anokye.
He added that GH¢200 million had been allocated in the 2027 Budget, due on November 12, to complete the Police Hospital expansion in Accra and increase its capacity to 300 beds.
Thirty-five Agenda 111 hospitals that are at least 70% complete are being prepared for contract re-awards after an Attorney-General review.
Warning over unauthorised NHIS charges
Mahama also warned health facilities against charging unauthorised fees to patients with valid National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards. Sanctions will follow monitoring by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
“I have received complaints that, despite patients presenting their NHIS cards, some facilities still demand money from them before providing services,” he said.
“Any facility found charging patients additional fees outside the approved insurance arrangements will be dealt with.”
The NHIA has increased provider tariffs by 50% since August 2026 and now pays vetted claims monthly. The 2026 Budget allocated GH¢22.8 billion to the Health Ministry and GH¢11.3 billion to the National Health Insurance Fund.
Of the fund transfer, GH¢2.26 billion was allocated to MahamaCares. The Ghana Medical Trust Fund has begun supporting patients with serious conditions, starting with cancers, alongside plans to expand free primary healthcare and strengthen the NHIS.
