Pressure is rapidly mounting on the government to intervene in a growing staffing crisis at the country’s premier referral facility, following dire warnings from the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) that failure to act swiftly could lead to severe consequences for public health delivery.
The alert follows revelations by the Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Yakubu Seidu Adam, who informed members of Parliament’s Health Committee that the facility’s 64-bed Accident and Emergency Centre is currently overwhelmed.
A steady influx of accident victims and critical emergency cases referred daily from across Ghana has stretched existing personnel far beyond their capacity.
According to Dr Adam, the hospital urgently requires an immediate clearance for additional doctors and nurses to reinforce existing medical teams and complement trainees currently posted to the health institution.
Reacting to the developments, the Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the GRNMA, Mr Philimon Gyapong, cautioned against further delays in addressing the deficit.
“It is deeply troubling that a top-tier national referral centre like Korle Bu is reaching a point where staff shortages could hinder emergency response. When healthcare workers are pushed past their limits, patient care inevitably suffers,” Mr Gyapong stated while featuring on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM.
He stressed that the severe shortage creates a high-pressure environment for health professionals and directly jeopardises the safety of patients seeking urgent care.
“We cannot afford to wait for the situation to completely collapse before taking action. The government must treat this as a matter of priority and urgently release clearance for the recruitment and deployment of more nurses and doctors to safeguard healthcare delivery,” he added.
The association is now urging the Ministry of Health and relevant authorities to step in without delay to avert a potential breakdown of emergency medical services at the facility.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
