The Head of the Accident and Emergency Department at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Henry Bulley, says Ghana's healthcare infrastructure has failed to keep pace with rapid population growth, placing enormous pressure on the country's largest referral hospitals.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Dr Bulley said the growing demand for emergency services had overstretched existing facilities, medical equipment and healthcare personnel, making it increasingly difficult to deliver timely care.

He identified the widening gap between population growth and investment in health infrastructure as one of the major challenges confronting the sector.

According to Dr Bulley, Korle Bu has become the preferred referral centre for patients from across the country because of its specialist expertise and relatively affordable care.

"When Korle Bu was built, Ghana's population was below six million. Today, we are over 30 million, yet there has not been a corresponding expansion of the hospital," he said.

He explained that many patients are referred from public hospitals, including some tertiary facilities, either because they require specialised treatment or cannot afford care elsewhere.

Dr Bulley also expressed concern that patients who have already been stabilised at other facilities are often transferred through Korle Bu's Emergency Department instead of being admitted directly to specialist wards, worsening congestion.

As a result, critically ill patients are forced to remain in the Emergency Department for prolonged periods while waiting for beds in specialist units.

He called for increased investment in expanding hospital infrastructure, improving bed capacity and recruiting more healthcare professionals to meet the demands of Ghana's growing population.

"You hear that nurses are sitting at home, yet when you come to the hospital the nurses on duty are overwhelmed. We are told it is because of financial clearance, but that is something policymakers need to address," he said.

Dr Bulley added that strengthening district and regional hospitals would ease the burden on Korle Bu by enabling more patients to access quality healthcare closer to where they live.