PRESS STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Call for a Comprehensive National Emergency Care Policy to Protect Patient Safety Amid the National Debate on “No Bed Syndrome”

DATED: 24TH FEBRUARY 2026

Introduction: Patient Safety Must Come First

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has called for urgent national reforms to address systemic barriers in emergency healthcare delivery across Ghana.

Amid renewed public debate surrounding the persistent “No Bed Syndrome,” the Association emphasizes that the safety and preservation of human life must remain the foremost priority of Ghana’s health system. Recurring reports of delayed emergency care have underscored the need for a comprehensive national emergency care policythat guarantees timely, equitable, and safe access to life-saving services for all.

GAMLS reiterates that while individual accountability in healthcare is essential, systemic reform is equally critical to prevent avoidable loss of life.

Systemic Barriers in Emergency Care

Across many hospitals in Ghana, patients requiring emergency and accident-related treatment are often required to make payments before receiving critical services. These may include:

• Consultation fees
• Admission deposits
• Charges for essential investigations such as medical laboratory tests

In emergency situations, where minutes can determine survival, such financial requirements can delay care and place lives at unnecessary risk.

Existing administrative and financial policies in some facilities constrain frontline professionals — including medical laboratory scientists — from initiating certain emergency diagnostic services until payment procedures are activated. This structural challenge, GAMLS stresses, must be addressed at the national policy level rather than leaving individual practitioners to shoulder blame for systemic limitations.

Waiver of Upfront Fees for Emergency Cases

GAMLS strongly advocates for the establishment of a structured national framework that guarantees immediate care for all emergency cases without upfront payment.

This policy should cover:

• Accident and trauma care
• Obstetric and neonatal emergencies
• Acute medical crises (such as stroke and cardiac events)
• Emergency laboratory and diagnostic services

A clear national directive must ensure that no patient in a life-threatening condition is denied or delayed care due to inability to pay at the point of service.

To ensure sustainability, GAMLS proposes:

• Strengthening emergency coverage under the National Health Insurance Scheme
• Establishment of a dedicated national emergency care fund
• Timely reimbursement of claims to facilities
• Budgetary support for high-burden emergency centers

Such measures would protect both patients and frontline health professionals while maintaining the financial stability of health institutions.

Strengthening Accountability Within a Supportive System

GAMLS supports firm accountability for health professionals where negligence is established. However, the Association stresses that investigations into adverse emergency events must:

• Be evidence-based and fair
• Examine institutional policies and resource constraints
• Consider workload pressures and referral bottlenecks
• Avoid premature attribution of blame where systemic failures are contributory

A balanced review approach, the Association notes, will promote both professional responsibility and systemic improvement — ultimately enhancing patient safety nationwide.

Expansion of Emergency Care Capacity and Elimination of the “No Bed Syndrome”

The persistent “No Bed Syndrome” reflects deeper structural challenges within Ghana’s health system. Overcrowding, limited emergency units, inadequate laboratory capacity, and insufficient critical care infrastructure continue to strain service delivery.

GAMLS is calling for strategic expansion of emergency and acute care services, particularly in major urban centres including:

• Accra
• Kumasi
• Tamale

Priority interventions should include:

• Establishment or upgrading of major accident and emergency centers
• Expansion of bed capacity and critical care units
• Investment in modern diagnostic and laboratory infrastructure
• Recruitment and continuous training of emergency care professionals
• Strengthening ambulance, referral, and inter-facility transfer systems
• Deployment of functional laboratory services within emergency units

Targeted expansion in these high-burden cities would significantly reduce referral bottlenecks and help eliminate the “No Bed Syndrome.”

Protection of Patient Rights and Safety

Access to emergency medical care is a fundamental component of the right to health. A comprehensive national policy must clearly outline:

• Standardized emergency response protocols
• Mandatory triage and stabilization prior to financial clearance
• Defined turnaround times for emergency laboratory services
• Protection for health workers acting in good faith during emergencies
• Monitoring and accountability mechanisms for emergency care delivery

Such a framework would strengthen public confidence and ensure consistent standards across healthcare facilities nationwide.

Conclusion: An Imperative for Health System Resilience

GAMLS remains committed to collaborating with government, regulators, healthcare institutions, and professional bodies to strengthen Ghana’s emergency care system.

Protecting patient lives requires a dual commitment: holding professionals accountable where appropriate while urgently reforming the systemic and policy barriers that delay emergency care.

A comprehensive national emergency care policy is no longer optional — it is an imperative for patient safety and health system resilience.

Dr. Eric Kofi Aidoo (FWAPCMLS) – President
Dr. Solomon D.Y. Kwashie – General Secretary

For and on behalf of
Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS)

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