The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi has temporarily halted the admission of new patients at its Accident and Emergency (A&E) Centre due to severe overcrowding at the facility.

In a statement issued by the hospital’s Public Affairs Unit, management announced that the A&E Centre had exceeded its capacity, prompting a 24-hour suspension of new emergency admissions to allow healthcare workers to attend to the growing backlog of patients.

Head of Public Affairs at KATH, Kwame Frimpong, explained that the centre, originally designed to accommodate 37 patients, is currently managing 61 admitted patients across its Orange, Yellow and Red critical care wards. An additional 34 patients are also waiting to receive medical attention.

According to him, the decision was taken to prevent further strain on the facility and ensure that critically ill patients already at the centre receive the necessary care without compromising their safety.

“The temporary measure will enable staff to manage the current patient load and clear the backlog before resuming normal admissions,” he stated.

The hospital has therefore advised members of the public seeking emergency care to visit other healthcare facilities within the Ashanti Region while efforts are made to restore normal operations at the A&E Centre.

Management is also collaborating with the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate to strengthen the role of satellite hospitals in the region to help ease the pressure on KATH and improve healthcare delivery.

Despite the suspension, KATH assured the public that its neonatal, paediatric and obstetric emergency services remain fully operational and unaffected by the congestion at the A&E Centre.

“The current situation is being reviewed continuously as our emergency physician specialists and other medical staff work tirelessly to manage the surge in cases. New admissions will resume as soon as conditions improve,” the statement said.

KATH, one of Ghana’s foremost referral hospitals, serves patients from 12 of the country’s 16 regions, a situation that continues to place significant pressure on the facility and its resources.