The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) is now receiving fresh emergency cases at the Surgical & Medical Emergency unit following the expiration of a 48-hour suspension due to lack of beds.

The facility experienced an upsurge in cases following a directive by the government that no health post should turn away emergency cases with the excuse of unavailability of beds.

The hospital had to treat some patients on the floor and others in plastic chairs leading to congestion.

However, Public Relations Officer of the referral hospital, Mustapha Salifu, has told the media on Thursday, 12 July 2018 that they have received new beds and, so, have started admitting fresh emergency cases.

“We took delivery of beds yesterday for the new emergency unit. We are procuring some, other are donations,” he said.

He explained that the facility is a 36-bed-capacity unit but they have 40 patients at the time of the interview. According to him, they had in excess of 60 patients as of Monday, prompting the decision to temporarily stop receiving fresh cases.

“The situation is better and the numbers we are seeing have reduced drastically but we are not out of the woods yet,” he added.