Capacity of intensive care units in Ghana.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To document the equipment, resource and bed capacity of Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in the Republic of Ghana.

Materials and methods

Cross-sectional observational study of all operating ICUs in Ghana. Sixteen operating ICUs in 9 hospitals were identified and surveyed (13 adult and 3 pediatric ICUs).

Results

There were a total of 113 adult and 36 pediatric ICU beds for a population of 30 million, (0.5 ICU beds per 100,000 people). The median number of staffed ICU beds and ventilators were 5 (IQR 4-6), and 4 (IQR 3-5) respectively. There were 2 pediatric and 6 adult intensivists practicing in the country. About half of the ICUs (56%) were staffed solely by non-intensivist providers. While there is adequate nursing support and availability of essential critical ca

SUBMITTER: Siaw-Frimpong M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7560159 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature