By Boakye Stephen, Accra, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News, Canada
The Chief Executive Officer of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr. Yakubu Seidu Adam, has dismissed a viral video alleging that patients are being forced to sleep on the floor, describing the footage as a misrepresentation of the hospital’s current conditions.
Speaking during a working visit by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on March 21, 2026, Dr. Adam acknowledged that the hospital is under pressure due to high patient intake but firmly denied claims of patients being left on the floor.
According to him, while congestion sometimes requires patients to be managed in chairs, the situation has not deteriorated to the level portrayed in the circulating video.
“We are still reviewing the images to ascertain whether it is AI-generated,” he stated, indicating that a technical investigation is underway to verify the authenticity of the footage.
System Under Pressure
Korle Bu, Ghana’s premier referral hospital, continues to experience significant strain as it receives complex cases from across the country.
In response, management has extended Outpatient Department (OPD) services to 10:00 p.m. to reduce pressure on emergency units and better manage non-critical cases.
Despite these measures, the Minister of Health emphasised that deeper structural challenges remain.
After touring the facility, Mr. Akandoh directed hospital authorities to prioritise bed availability in secondary wards to ease congestion at the emergency unit.
“It makes more sense to create space at the emergency than to say the wards are full,” he noted.
He also called on lower-level health facilities to stabilise patients before referring them to Korle Bu, stressing that unnecessary referrals contribute significantly to overcrowding.
A System-Wide Issue
The Ministry of Health has pledged support to expand bed capacity and improve patient flow, as concerns grow over the recurring “no-bed syndrome” in major hospitals.
Commentary – Beyond the Video: A Deeper Healthcare Reality
Let’s address the real issue.
Whether the video is authentic, exaggerated, or even AI-generated, the public reaction reveals something important:
Ghanaians are ready to believe it.
And that alone is a problem.
Why?
Because it reflects a deeper lack of confidence in the healthcare system.
The CEO may be right. The video may not represent the full truth.
But the pressure on Korle Bu is not in dispute.
Patients sitting instead of lying on beds is not a solution, it is a sign of strain.
The Bigger Question
This is not just about one video.
It is about:
Over-centralisation of healthcare services
Weak district and regional hospital capacity
Poor referral discipline
Long-standing infrastructure deficits
Korle Bu is carrying a national burden that should be distributed across a functional healthcare system.
Truth vs Trust
Even if the video turns out to be false, one uncomfortable truth remains:
A system that is consistently stretched will always be vulnerable to public doubt.
Trust is not built by statements, it is built by consistent experience.
From a moral and biblical perspective:
“Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” (Romans 12:17)
Healthcare must not only function, it must be seen to function with dignity.
Final Thought
The debate should not end at whether the video is real or fake.
It should lead to a more serious national reflection:
Why are our major hospitals always under pressure?
Why are district hospitals unable to absorb basic cases?
Why does emergency congestion persist year after year?
Because in the end:
The real crisis is not just beds, it is balance in the entire healthcare system.
Until that is fixed, the argument will continue, the pressure will remain, and the public will keep questioning what they see, and what they are told.
