Korle Bu Teaching Hospital requests permanent staff for 64-bed emergency centre

Management at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has issued an urgent appeal for the recruitment of permanent doctors and nurses to bolster its overstretched Accident and Emergency Centre. Dr. Yakubu Seidu Adam, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, highlighted that the facility is currently facing significant operational strain due to a critical shortage of permanent medical personnel. This shortage has forced the hospital to rely heavily on trainee doctors who depart once their programs conclude, leaving persistent gaps in service delivery.

The 64-bed Accident and Emergency Centre serves as a primary destination for referral cases from across the country. According to Dr. Adam, the high volume of incoming patients often exceeds the centre's capacity to provide optimal care. He explained that while the hospital appears to have a substantial number of doctors on paper, the majority are in training phases. This temporary workforce creates a revolving door effect, which hinders the hospital’s ability to maintain a consistent and experienced team for emergency and intensive care services.

During a meeting with Parliament’s Health Committee and the Minister of Health, Dr. Adam emphasized that the hospital requires its own permanent medical officers and a reinforced nursing staff to ensure timely and effective patient interventions. The management argued that securing a dedicated workforce is essential for stabilizing the facility's operations and reducing the pressure on existing staff who are currently managing an unsustainable workload.

Beyond the immediate need for human resources, the hospital management is also calling for broader improvements in healthcare infrastructure. The ongoing dialogue with government officials focuses on enhancing the hospital’s capacity to handle complex emergency cases and improving its intensive care capabilities. By securing permanent staff, Korle Bu aims to transition from a reliance on transient trainees to a more robust, long-term healthcare delivery model that can meet the needs of patients referred from all regions of the country.