Deep Dive: Former GMA Vice President warns Ghana's emergency healthcare system is poorly equipped and underfunded

From a public health perspective, Dr Justice Yankson's warnings highlight critical gaps in Ghana's emergency care infrastructure, as evidenced by the Korle Bu incident where a patient was denied care at multiple facilities due to lacking equipment, personnel, or expertise. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that effective emergency medical systems (EMS) require standardized protocols, trained staff, and reliable ambulance services to reduce mortality from trauma and acute events; Ghana's system falls short, mirroring challenges in many low-resource settings per WHO's 2022 State of the World's EMS report. This incident underscores how underfunding leads to operational failures, with interdictions of staff at Korle Bu indicating accountability measures but not addressing root causes like resource shortages. Clinically, the rejection of a road accident victim from three hospitals points to absent capabilities for immediate stabilization, such as trauma bays or surgical teams, which are proven to improve outcomes in time-sensitive conditions like hemorrhagic shock—supported by American College of Surgeons' trauma guidelines adapted globally. Without peer-reviewed Ghana-specific trials, we rely on regional data from sub-Saharan Africa showing EMS delays increase mortality by 20-30% (e.g., Lancet Global Health studies on African trauma systems). Dr Yankson's callout reveals systemic risks where patients face 'facility shopping' in crises, delaying the 'golden hour' intervention. Health policy-wise, these structural gaps reflect chronic underinvestment in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and public hospitals, with emergency care often deprioritized amid competing demands like infectious diseases. Official guidance from Ghana Health Service stresses integrated EMS, yet implementation lags, as seen in recurrent media reports of similar denials. Implications include heightened vulnerability for rural and urban poor, eroding trust in public health systems and pressuring private alternatives unaffordable for most. Outlook demands policy reforms like increased EMS budgeting and training, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3 targets for universal health coverage.