He said the increasing demand for emergency services had placed pressure on existing facilities, equipment and healthcare workers, affecting the capacity of hospitals to provide timely care.

Dr Bulley made the observation in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, citing the gap between population growth and expansion of healthcare infrastructure as a major challenge facing the health sector.

He said Korle Bu had become a major referral centre for patients from across the country because of its specialist expertise and relatively lower cost of care.

“When Korle Bu was built, Ghana’s population was below six million. Today, we are over 30 million, yet there has not been a corresponding expansion of the hospital,” he said.

Dr Bulley said many patients were referred to Korle Bu from public hospitals, including some tertiary facilities, because they could not afford treatment elsewhere or required specialised care.

He said some patients who had already been stabilised at other hospitals were still transferred through the Emergency Department instead of being directed to specialist wards, contributing to congestion.

The situation, he said, had resulted in critically ill patients remaining in the Emergency Department for extended periods while waiting for beds in specialist units.

Dr Bulley called for increased investment in hospital expansion, bed capacity and recruitment of healthcare professionals to meet the needs of the growing population.

“You hear that nurses are sitting at home, yet when you come to the hospital the nurses on duty are overwhelmed. We are told it is because of financial clearance, but that is something policymakers need to address,” he said.

Dr Bulley said expanding and strengthening district and regional hospitals would help reduce pressure on Korle Bu and allow patients to access quality care closer to their communities.

He also called for improved rehabilitation and mental health support within emergency care, particularly for accident victims and their families.

Dr Bulley said the number of psychologists available to support patients was inadequate, adding that some patients requiring amputations declined the procedure because they lacked proper counselling on rehabilitation options and modern prosthetic technology.

He also highlighted the emotional impact of emergency care on health professionals, saying doctors and nurses often experienced distress from patient deaths despite remaining composed before affected families.

“People sometimes think health workers are insensitive, but we are not. We carry these experiences with us. That is why we conduct debriefing sessions after difficult cases to support one another emotionally and reflect on whether there was anything more we could have done,” he said.

Dr Bulley said an experience involving the death of a young woman who was moved between emergency units while seeking treatment influenced his decision to specialise in emergency medicine.

He said the incident demonstrated the need for an integrated emergency care system where critically ill patients could be stabilised before being referred to specialists.

“I realised there should be an emergency department where every emergency is managed first instead of patients being moved from one place to another and risking their lives. That experience changed my career path, and I have never regretted becoming an emergency physician,” he said.

Dr Bulley urged policymakers to prioritise investment in emergency medicine, describing emergency physicians as a key part of the healthcare system.

“Even on holidays, when most clinics are closed, emergency physicians are at work. We need greater investment in infrastructure, personnel and support services to ensure the health system keeps pace with the country’s growing population,” he said.