Tamale hospital adopt "No Return Policy' to address the "No Bed Crises" The Tamale Teaching Hospital has adopted "No Return Policy” to ensure that patients who are admitted to the hospital get enough beds to sleep on and subsequently get their treatment. This has become necessary following the “No Bed Syndrome” which is bedeviling some health facilities in the country. The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Dr. Ken Osei-Mensah in an interview with Radio Ghana says the hospital is currently practicing a fluid bed management system where patients are moved along for definitive care into the unit that they are definitely going to be treated after they have been stabilized at the accidents and emergency units. He said just like other health facilities, the tamale teaching hospital is sometimes overwhelmed with congestion which put pressure on the few hospital beds stressing however that authorities try their possible best to manage situations. He said the "No Return Policy" is critical because the hospital is uniquely located serving the three regions of the north, parts of Bono-Ahafo and Volta regions and therefore turning patients away from the hospital will spell doom for patients. Dr. Osei Mensah mentioned that the hospital has procured some treatment couches, movable stretchers, and mattresses to address the no bed syndrome in an event of congestion. He said the hospital currently has 468 bed capacities adding that some 400 beds are expected to be added to the number as part of phase two of the expansion works currently ongoing at the hospital. The PRO said the Accident and Emergency Wards and the Obstetric and Gynecological wards are the most congested wards at the hospital stressing that management is doing every possible to ensure that patients are not turned away from the hospital. He said the number of CHPs compounds and health centers dotted around the region have gone a long way to address congestion challenges. Dr. Osei Mensah commended staff of the hospital for their efforts considering the staff strength and the number of cases being brought to the hospital. He said management and staff of the hospital believe that once a person visits the hospital, it means he or she has no else to go for medical treatment and as such the person must be taken care off. Filed by Joyce Kantam Kolamong gbcghanaonline.com ---DECRYPTED---