The management of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has announced a temporary 24-hour suspension on admitting new emergency cases due to severe overcrowding at its Accident and Emergency (A&E) Centre.
According to an official statement released in Kumasi and signed by the head of KATH’s Public Affairs Unit, Mr Kwame Frimpong, the facility is currently full and overflowing with waiting patients.
To prevent endangering the lives of critically ill patients, management has temporarily curtailed further admissions so medical staff can clear the existing backlog of cases over the next day or two.
The emergency centre, which was originally designed to accommodate a 37-bed capacity, is currently overwhelmed.
The hospital reported having 61 patients admitted across its Orange, Yellow, and Red critical wards, with an additional 34 patients waiting in a queue.
As a result of the crisis, KATH management is urging the public to utilise peripheral hospitals within the region for emergency care.
Hospital leadership is actively engaging with the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate to coordinate how other regional facilities can assist in managing emergency cases until the surge at KATH subsides.
Hospital management clarified that this temporary suspension does not affect all departments.
Neonatal, pediatric, and obstetric emergency facilities at KATH remain unaffected and will continue to operate normally.
Emergency physician specialists and medical staff are currently working to manage the surge.
Hospital authorities noted that the situation is being reviewed periodically, and normal admissions will resume as soon as the influx is brought under control.