Korle Bu Teaching Hospital probes Mzbel's claim that bed shortage caused sister's death

The Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) has called on Ghanaian musician Mzbel to provide further information to enable the hospital investigate claims that her sister died after she was unable to secure a bed for treatment.

The hospital's response follows a viral video in which Mzbel alleged that her 46-year-old sister, Leila, died after the family was told there were no available beds when she was rushed to the facility in critical condition.

The singer, in the emotional video shared on Sunday, July 5, questioned why bed shortages at the country's largest referral hospital have persisted for years, arguing that the delay in accessing treatment contributed to her sister's death.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 7, KBTH said it takes all allegations concerning patient care seriously and has since made efforts to contact Mzbel and her family to establish the facts surrounding the incident.

"Since becoming aware of the publication, every effort has been made to establish contact with Mzbel and her family to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident," part of the statement read.

The hospital said it is seeking to determine whether the deceased was referred to Korle Bu and denied admission upon arrival or whether she had not yet been transferred to the hospital and was instead advised to wait until a bed became available.

It noted that, as of the time of issuing the statement, management had not been able to engage the family directly to verify the circumstances and appealed to Mzbel to assist with information that would facilitate investigations.

The hospital also stressed that it has been operating under a directive issued by President John Dramani Mahama during the 2026 State of the Nation Address that no public hospital should refuse an emergency case.

It said the directive has since been reinforced by the Minister for Health, while the hospital's Board and Management have acquired additional beds and other facilities to reduce the incidence of bed shortages.

"The Hospital would therefore regard any deliberate refusal to attend to an emergency patient as a serious breach of established policy and would investigate such conduct thoroughly," it stated.

KBTH further encouraged patients and their relatives to use its official complaints channels, including its telephone lines, website complaints portal and QR code system, to report concerns for prompt investigation and resolution.

The hospital extended its condolences to Mzbel and her family and reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a fair, transparent and professional investigation into the matter while continuing to provide safe, timely and quality healthcare services.