No Patient Must be Turned Away Over Lack of Hospital Beds – Mahama
President orders emergency care for all patients as government moves to end “no bed syndrome” nationwide.
- Zero tolerance for “no bed syndrome.”
- New directive to admit all emergency cases.
- Major hospital expansion underway.
President John Dramani Mahama has declared a zero-tolerance policy toward the persistent “no bed syndrome,” stressing that no Ghanaian seeking urgent medical care should be denied treatment due to a lack of hospital beds.
Delivering his 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Friday, 27 February, the President outlined both immediate interventions and long-term infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery across the country.
He announced that the Ministry of Health will introduce new directives requiring health facilities to admit and treat emergency cases, even if it means providing care under temporary or makeshift arrangements.
“You don’t need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient,” President Mahama stated. “No patient must be turned away from any health facility they report to.”
While the immediate focus will be on improving emergency response protocols, the President also highlighted major hospital expansion and rehabilitation projects intended to boost capacity nationwide.
Key Health Infrastructure Projects
Greater Accra Region: Implementation of the Ridge Hospital Phase Two project to expand bed capacity at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.
Ongoing National Projects: Completion of the Police Hospital project and the La General Hospital redevelopment.
Ashanti Region: Completion of the Serwaa Regional Hospital, the Afari Military Hospital, and the maternity and children’s block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
President Mahama said the combined approach of stricter emergency care enforcement and expanded infrastructure would help ensure that no citizen is denied treatment, regardless of location, timing, or the severity of their condition.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to guaranteeing timely access to healthcare for all Ghanaians.
Background
The President’s directive follows a widely reported incident on Friday, 6 February 2026, when a hit-and-run victim at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Overpass was allegedly refused treatment by three major hospitals due to the unavailability of beds.
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) from the National Ambulance Service received a walk-in call at approximately 10:32 pm and arrived at the scene within three minutes. Between 10:35 pm and about 12:50 am, EMTs reportedly engaged three hospitals in efforts to secure admission for the victim or obtain permission to administer treatment in the ambulance.
The attempts were unsuccessful, and the victim later died.
He was subsequently identified as 29-year-old Charles Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, located in Accra’s North Industrial Area and known for producing Cowbell milk and other food products.
