Kumasi: The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has resumed the admission of critical emergency cases at its Accident and Emergency Centre. This comes after a temporary suspension caused by severe overcrowding at the facility.
According to Ghana Web, the hospital announced a 24-hour halt in the admission of new emergency cases earlier this week. This decision was necessitated after the 37-bed facility became overwhelmed, accommodating 61 admitted patients while an additional 34 patients awaited care.
Providing an update, Kwame Frimpong, the Head of Public Affairs at KATH, stated that the situation had improved significantly, allowing the facility to once again receive critical emergency cases. He explained that this resumption was made possible through the diversion of less critical cases to peripheral health facilities and the discharge of some inpatients from the hospital.
An emergency meeting was held involving the management of KATH, the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, and medical superintendents across the region to develop strategies to ease pressure on the A and E Centre. One of the key measures agreed upon was the retention of non-critical emergency cases at peripheral and district hospitals, where they will be managed with support from specialists and consultants from KATH.
Frimpong further disclosed that a dedicated WhatsApp platform has been established to enhance coordination among health facilities in the Ashanti Region regarding emergency admissions and patient management. He expressed optimism that the new interventions would help prevent future congestion and improve the efficiency of emergency healthcare delivery across the region.
The hospital has also appealed to the public and healthcare providers to continue supporting efforts aimed at ensuring that emergency services remain available to patients in critical need of urgent medical attention.