KATH Accident and Emergency Centre resumes admission of dire emergency cases

The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has resumed the admission of critical emergency cases at its Accident and Emergency (A&E) Centre following a temporary suspension caused by severe overcrowding.

The hospital had announced a 24-hour halt to new emergency admissions on Tuesday after the 37-bed capacity facility became overwhelmed, accommodating 61 admitted patients while an additional 34 patients waited for care.

Providing an update on Wednesday in Kumasi, Head of Public Affairs at KATH, Mr. Kwame Frimpong, said the decision to resume admissions followed efforts to reduce congestion at the centre.

According to him, some patients were discharged from the hospital, while less critical emergency cases were redirected to peripheral and district health facilities to allow the A&E Centre to focus on life-threatening emergencies.

Mr. Frimpong disclosed that a high-level meeting involving KATH management, the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate, and medical superintendents from various health facilities in the region resulted in several measures aimed at addressing the situation.

“One of the measures was the retention of non-dire emergency cases at the peripheral and district hospitals to be managed with the support of specialists and consultants at KATH so that the A&E Centre can concentrate on the most critical of emergencies,” he explained.

As part of the intervention, the hospital and regional health authorities have established a WhatsApp platform to improve coordination among healthcare facilities and streamline the admission and management of emergency cases across the Ashanti Region.

The initiative is expected to enhance communication between health facilities, facilitate timely referrals, and reduce pressure on KATH’s emergency unit.

Hospital authorities say they will continue monitoring the situation closely to ensure the Accident and Emergency Centre can effectively respond to critical cases while maintaining quality healthcare delivery.