Hospitals in Kumasi for families abroad: Komfo Anokye, NHIS and emergency numbers

Which are the main hospitals in Kumasi?

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is the referral hospital for Kumasi and much of Ghana. Its own site describes a 1,200-bed hospital with 13 clinical directorates, including Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine and Oncology, and its deputy medical director said in March 2026 that it is the only tertiary facility in the Ashanti region.

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, which counted 443,981 people in the 2021 census, says its area has 74 healthcare facilities, including maternity clinics, private and public hospitals and the teaching hospital.

How busy is Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital?

On 2 June 2026 KATH's emergency centre, designed for 37 patients, had 61 admitted and 34 more waiting, and the hospital paused new emergency admissions (Citi Newsroom). The Health Minister had the chief executive suspended for two weeks over the pause, citing a presidential directive that hospitals must not turn away emergency cases (Graphic Online, 5 June 2026).

When admissions resumed, the Ghana News Agency reported a backlog of nearly 40 patients and patients still on stretchers and in temporary spaces. In January 2024 the hospital said some discharged patients could not leave because they had not paid their bills.

How does NHIS work for an older parent in Kumasi?

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) lists people above 70 years as an exempt group who do not pay any fees, and says they do not serve the usual one-month waiting period. Membership can be renewed at any NHIS district office, by USSD on *929#, or in the MyNHIS app.

The NHIA says over 95% of disease conditions are covered, but its exclusions include dialysis for chronic kidney failure, hearing aids, dentures and other appliances, organ transplants, VIP ward accommodation and mortuary services. It also says NHIS does not cover treatment abroad.

Who do you call in an emergency in Kumasi?

Dial 112. The National Ambulance Service's chief executive said in July 2026 that pre-hospital care begins the moment you dial 112. KATH's website lists two hotlines, +233 593 830 400 and +233 556 490 029, and its Emergency Medicine directorate runs a triage area.

How do you get to Kumasi from abroad?

Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi was commissioned on 10 May 2024, built to handle 800,000 passengers a year (Ghana News Agency). The first international flight, from London Gatwick on 6 December 2024, was a charter, and Ghana Airports Company says the airport is served by two domestic carriers, flying within Ghana.

By road, the Roads Minister said in November 2025 that the new Accra-Kumasi expressway would cut the trip from about 250 km to under 200 km, and the Ghana News Agency reported in July 2026 that it is expected to bring the journey to about two hours when complete.

What should you have ready for a parent in Kumasi?

Kinship works in Nigeria today, with doctor calls and check-ins anywhere in Nigeria and Kinship Visits in Lagos. Ghana is coming soon.

• Keep the parent's NHIS membership active and note when it is due for renewal
• Save 112 and the KATH hotlines in the phones of the parent and a nearby relative
• Name one relative or neighbour in Kumasi who can go to hospital with them
• Keep a list of conditions, medicines and allergies with the NHIS card
• Know what NHIS does not cover, such as dialysis, hearing aids and dentures
• Agree who abroad pays hospital bills, and how, before they are needed

Questions people ask

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