‘Treating patients on the floor has become a norm in Ghana’ – GMA Secretary

The General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr. Justice Duffu Yankson says our lack of investments in the health sector should be blamed for the

‘no-bed syndrome’ we’re currently experiencing in our hospitals and lack of effective emergency services system across the country.

It said the health sector is now reliant on old systems to function notwithstanding population growth.

“Over the last fifteen years, Ghana has not made any investment in that sector. We do not have suitable emergency services as a country …,” said by Dr. Justice Duffu Yankson, the General Secretary of Ghana Medical Association.

Dr. Justice Yankson was commenting on the administration of the decision of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) not to take some emergency referrals from other health facilities due to the scarcity of beds at its Surgical Medical Emergency (SME) Unit.

The absence of beds at the Surgical Medical Emergency unit of the Hospital has forced doctors to treat patients in plastic chairs and on floors following a command by the Health Minister for doctors not to turn away patients on grounds for lack of beds.

According to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the move is part of measures to decongest the facility after overcrowding of patients has made it demanding for doctors to work at the SME unit.

Speaking on Onua FM’s morning show Wednesday morning, Dr. Yankson said on daily basis Korle-Bu’s Surgical Medical Emergency unit looks after more than 100 people and indicated the need for upper emergency centers to be built apart from Korle-Bu.

“It is not wise to look after the sick on the floor because the floor is always contaminated and the labor laws say if you realized the conditions are not safe, you should walk away so health professionals have the right not to look after patients on the floor,” he said.

Notwithstanding, he said “nursing patients on the floor is becoming a norm in Ghana”

Dr. Yankson also indicated that governments don’t consult the health professionals when purchasing an ambulance, adding “Politicians purchase them so the powers that be should fix the situation as soon as possible”.