President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned all health facilities against turning away patients, stressing that emergency care must be provided regardless of bed availability.

The statement follows the death of 29-year-old Charles Amissah, who was denied care by three major hospitals in Accra.

Addressing the nation on Friday, February 27, President Mahama outlined the government’s plans to strengthen healthcare delivery and remove barriers to access.

“This year, the government will fully roll out a free primary healthcare programme, removing all cost barriers at the primary level where it is mostly needed, while strengthening prevention, screening, and health promotion, especially for non-communicable diseases,” he said.

The President added that the Ghana Medical Trust Fund will be scaled up, and access to advanced cardiac care, including cardiac catheterisation services at Tamale, Korle Bu, and Komfo Anokye hospitals, will be expanded.

He said these measures aim to reduce overseas referrals and position Ghana as a centre for specialised care in the sub-region.

He further instructed the Ministry of Health to issue guidelines to eliminate the unacceptable “no bed” syndrome, emphasising that patients facing medical emergencies must receive care even under mid-shift conditions.

“You do not need to have a comfortable bed to save a patient. No patient must be turned away from any health facility they report to,” he said.

To increase capacity, President Mahama announced that the government will implement Phase Two of the Ridge Hospital project, which will expand the number of beds and improve service delivery at one of the country’s key healthcare institutions.