Mark Kurt Nawaane is Chairman of Parliament’s Health Committee
Chairman of Parliament’s Health Committee, Mark Kurt Nawaane, is calling on families who lose loved ones because of Ghana’s persistent “no bed syndrome” to consider taking legal action against health facilities that deny emergency care.
His comments come after reports that a hit-and-run victim was allegedly turned away by three major hospitals due to a lack of bed space a case that has once again stirred public anger over emergency care failures.
Speaking to journalists on February 13, 2026, Dr Nawaane did not hide his frustration.
“You carry your relative to the place, and if you’re not satisfied with anything, I think you should be able to pursue it,” he said.
He urged families to file formal complaints with regulatory bodies such as the Medical and Dental Council, the Health Facilities Regulatory Authority (HeFRA), and the NHIA.
“The Medical and Dental Council are there to ensure that we provide quality health services. We have got HeFRA (Health Facilities Regulatory Authority). We’ve got even the NHIA, they are interested in this matter. So, all these bodies are there to ensure that you can make a formal complaint to them, and I believe that they will be able to do so.”
Dr Nawaane stressed that in emergencies, hospitals are expected to first stabilise patients before referring them elsewhere.
“When it is an emergency, we expect that you stabilise the person first. Even if you need to refer, you do so after stabilisation,” he said.
He believes poor coordination between hospitals especially in cities where several facilities operate close to each other is worsening the problem.
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“If you go to the first hospital and there is no bed, they should be able to inform you that there is a bed in another hospital. But it appears every hospital is operating like an island,” he said.
Beyond the immediate crisis, Dr Nawaane disclosed that part of the GH¢2.9 billion approved for the Ghana Medical Trust Fund will be used to upgrade regional hospitals, reduce pressure on referral centres, and train more specialists.
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“You realise that if you have a hospital and you don’t have the specialist, it is always difficult for them to carry out their mandate, So I’m not surprised that part of this fund is going to be used to train medical specialists,” he said
He added that many regional hospitals lack essential equipment like MRI and CT scan machines, limiting their ability to handle critical cases.
“We expect that part of this fund, as part of the retooling process, should be used to equip them so they can carry out their mandate,” he added.
Dr Nawaane assured that Parliament will closely monitor how the funds are used, insisting that better infrastructure, trained specialists and stronger oversight are key to ending the heartbreak families face under the “no bed syndrome.”
NA/AM
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
