Doctors at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital have accused the hospital’s management of allegedly staging conditions at the emergency ward to present what they described as a “perfect” environment during a recent visit by the country’s Health Minister.
According to some medical officers who spoke about the matter, the emergency department was temporarily reorganized and cleaned up ahead of the minister’s inspection, giving an impression that does not reflect the daily realities faced by staff and patients at the facility.
The doctors claim that beds were rearranged, equipment was brought in and certain patients were moved to make the ward appear less congested. They argue that such actions risk masking the real challenges confronting the hospital, including overcrowding, shortages of essential supplies and pressure on healthcare workers.
Some members of the medical staff said the visit would have been a better opportunity for authorities to witness the true state of the emergency unit, which they say often struggles with limited space and a high influx of critically ill patients from across the country.
They further indicated that portraying an improved but temporary picture could delay urgent interventions needed to address infrastructure gaps and improve patient care. The doctors therefore called for transparency and honest assessments whenever senior government officials tour the facility.
Hospital management has yet to publicly respond in detail to the allegations, but sources indicate that officials may clarify the circumstances surrounding the minister’s visit and the preparations that were made.
The situation has sparked conversation within Ghana’s health sector about the need for realistic evaluations of conditions in major public hospitals, particularly at referral centres like Korle-Bu, which handles thousands of cases each year from across the country.
