A pregnant woman has reportedly died in Kasoa after a request for an emergency Caesarean section (C-section) was allegedly denied due to a lack of available beds at a health facility.

According to reports, the woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition and required urgent surgical intervention. However, they claim she was turned away or left unattended because the facility had no space to admit her for the procedure.

The deceased, identified as Opoku Abigail, was initially receiving care at a private health facility but was referred to the Kasoa-based hospital after experiencing prolonged labour.

According to her family, appeals for an emergency C-section upon arrival were turned down by medical staff, who reportedly cited the unavailability of space in the recovery ward as the reason for not proceeding with the surgery.

Relatives say Abigail remained at the facility for nearly 36 hours without undergoing the procedure, despite her worsening condition. She eventually died on Sunday, April 26, with her unborn child still in her womb.

The incident has deepened concerns among the family, who claim similar cases have occurred at the facility in the past. They argue that timely surgical intervention could have saved both mother and child.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, a sister of the deceased recounted the ordeal, expressing frustration over what she described as inaction by hospital staff.

She said they had been advised at the initial facility to opt for a Caesarean section to safeguard both lives. However, upon arrival at the referral hospital in the early hours—between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.—they were allegedly informed that the recovery ward was full, making the surgery impossible.

She said her sister, Abigail, was left in severe pain without receiving adequate medical attention, and even her personal requests for the procedure were not acted upon.

Efforts to obtain a response from hospital management were unsuccessful. Officials indicated that both the Medical Director and Administrator were unavailable to comment on the matter at the time of reporting.

The incident has sparked public concern over persistent challenges in Ghana’s healthcare system, particularly issues of overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and emergency response capacity.

The “no bed syndrome” refers to recurring incidents in which patients, including emergency cases, are turned away from hospitals due to a lack of beds. The issue has raised public concern and prompted calls for reforms in patient admission and emergency care coordination.