The “No Bed Syndrome” in Ghanian Tertiary Hospitals

In 2018, a new terminology emerged in the Ghanaian society after the death of a 70-year-old man. The death followed several failed attempts to secure admission in seven hospitals, including Ridge Hospital, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital located in Accra. The terminology was labeled “No-Bed Syndrome” to describe the existing problem of lack of hospital beds for patients. According to the World Health Organization, every country needs five beds per 1000 population. However, there are 0.9 beds per 1000 population in Ghana. Ridge Hospital is one of the major hospitals in the country that receives many patient referrals in addition to admitting patients. According to research, the hospital still has a bed shortage even after being upgraded from a 200-bed capacity to a 420-bed capacity in 2017 (Nyabor, 2014). This case study focuses on the causes of bed shortages at Ridge Hospital. Considering the widespread efficiency of technology to improve healthcare across the globe sustainably, the team will investigate why technological means are lowly adopted to mitigate the lack of beds at Ridge Hospital, designed to be a modern hospital.