On August 25, 2025, the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) issued a stern memorandum addressing a troubling pattern of certain employees redirecting the hospital’s core services and clients to external, private facilities. The leaked memo, seen by 3News, underscored management’s determination to halt practices that were eroding both the institution’s revenue and its reputation for public service.
The memorandum laid out three primary irregularities. It revealed that some clinicians were prescribing treatments and medications readily available within KBTH, yet guiding patients to purchase them elsewhere. In parallel, a number of staff members had been outsourcing blood sample collection to private laboratories, despite the hospital’s in-house capacity to conduct these tests. Additionally, the memo exposed instances where hospital theatres and resources were being used for surgical procedures billed privately, either through external receipts or without any official documentation issued by the hospital itself.
Senior management’s response was unambiguous: effective immediately, any staff found engaging in these activities would face disciplinary proceedings under the hospital’s established policies. The CEO’s directive emphasized the necessity of safeguarding the institution’s financial integrity and public trust, warning that leniency in such matters would no longer be tolerated.
As Ghana’s premier referral and teaching hospital, KBTH plays a pivotal role in delivering advanced medical care and training the country’s next generation of health professionals. The emergence of revenue diversion schemes not only threatens the hospital’s budgetary health but also undermines its mission to provide accessible care to all Ghanaians, regardless of their socioeconomic status.
Beyond the immediate financial impact, these practices risk creating inequities in patient care, as those unable to follow staff instructions to seek private services may be left without crucial treatments. By shining a light on these covert arrangements, KBTH’s leadership aims to reinforce a culture where transparency and accountability are paramount.
In urging staff to recommit to ethical service delivery, the CEO’s memorandum concluded with a call to “uphold the integrity and financial sustainability of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.” This rallying cry serves as both a warning and an invitation: a warning that misconduct will be met with consequences, and an invitation to every employee to contribute to the hospital’s enduring legacy of excellence and public trust.
Moving forward, KBTH faces the challenge of strengthening internal controls, enhancing oversight mechanisms, and fostering an environment in which ethical practice is recognized and rewarded. With clear policies now in place and management’s resolve firmly stated, the hospital’s leadership hopes to set a new standard for professionalism and patient-centred care across Ghana’s health sector.
