Getting Medical Help in Ghana: Hospitals, Clinics and Pharmacies for Visitors

I've helped a lot of friends and family get ready for trips home to Ghana, and the question I hear most after "what shots do I need?" is "what if something happens while I'm there?" It's a fair worry. Most trips go smoothly, but a twisted ankle in Kumasi or a fever after a week on the coast is a lot less scary when you already know where to go.

So here's the guide I'd hand my own family: who to call, where the well-known hospitals and clinics are, and how to find a pharmacy you can trust.

In an emergency: call 112

112 is Ghana's number for police, fire and ambulance, and it works on every mobile network. Save it in your phone now, next to the address of where you're staying.

A few honest things to know:

• Ambulances can be slow, especially in Accra traffic or outside the big cities. If someone is stable enough to travel and you have a car or a trusted driver, going straight to the hospital is often faster.
• Some private providers run their own ambulances. The UK government's facility list includes Nyaho Medical Centre, Accra Medical Centre, and the West African Rescue Association (WARA), which has bases in Accra and Takoradi. If you're staying near one, save their number when you arrive.
• Tell the dispatcher a landmark. Street addresses aren't always used. "Behind the Shell station near the Airport Residential roundabout" gets help to you faster than a house number.

Hospitals and clinics in Accra

Accra has the widest choice of care in the country. Here are facilities listed by the UK government's Foreign Office as of 2026. Here's a quick look at each one.

For a toothache or broken tooth, the same list includes Spaes Dental Clinic, North Labone Dental Clinic and Beaver Clinic.

Outside Accra

If you're heading to the regions, these are the big referral hospitals to know about:

• Kumasi: Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, at Bantama. It's the main referral hospital for the Ashanti Region and the north.
• Cape Coast and Elmina: Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, the main public referral hospital for the Central Region. Many people visiting the castles stay nearby.
• Takoradi and the western beaches: the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority Hospital, plus the WARA clinic on Dixcove Hill, which also runs rescue and ambulance services.
• Tamale and the north (Mole National Park): Tamale Teaching Hospital is the main referral hospital. Distances are long up north, so plan ahead.

In smaller towns, the nearest option may be a district hospital or a health center. They can stabilize you and refer you on, and that's exactly what you want in the first hour.

Finding a pharmacy you can trust

This is where my pharmacist hat comes on. Ghana has plenty of good, licensed pharmacies staffed by excellent pharmacists. But like many countries, it also has a problem with fake and substandard medicines. The World Health Organization estimates that about 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is substandard or falsified. Here's how I'd protect myself:

• Bring enough of your regular medicines for the whole trip, plus a few extra days, in their original labeled containers. My medication packing guide walks you through it.
• Use a hospital pharmacy or a well-established licensed pharmacy, especially for antimalarials and antibiotics.
• Ask to speak with the pharmacist. In a licensed pharmacy, the license should be on display, and a pharmacist should be there to answer your questions.
• Know the difference between a pharmacy and a medicine seller. You'll see many small "chemical" or over-the-counter medicine shops. The Pharmacy Council licenses them for a limited range of simple medicines, not prescription drugs.
• Check the pack: sealed packaging, a clear expiry date, and printing that isn't blurry or misspelled. If something looks off, don't take it.
• Be wary of "strong" medicines with no prescription. If someone hands you antibiotics or injections without asking questions, walk away.

When to see a doctor fast

Malaria is the big one. Ghana has malaria year-round, and it can turn serious quickly. Get seen the same day if you have:

• Fever, chills, sweats, headache or body aches, even if you're taking malaria tablets. Ask for a malaria test.
• Diarrhea with blood, a high fever, or signs of dehydration (dizziness, very little urine).
• A dog or monkey bite or scratch. Rabies treatment can't wait.
• Chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion, or a bad fall or road injury.

And remember: malaria symptoms can show up weeks after you get home. If you get a fever back in the US, tell your doctor right away that you were in Ghana.

Paying for care

• Expect to pay up front at most facilities, by cash, card or mobile money. Bring a backup card.
• Keep every receipt and report, then file them with your travel insurer when you get home.
• US health plans often don't cover you abroad, and Medicare generally doesn't. A travel medical policy that includes emergency evacuation is worth a look before you go.
• Carry a copy of your passport, a list of your medicines and allergies, and an emergency contact.

If you're a US citizen

The U.S. Embassy in Accra can help in a real emergency and can share lists of local doctors and hospitals. Before you travel, enroll in the State Department's free STEP program so the embassy can reach you, and save the embassy's number in your phone.

Run a pharmacy, clinic or hospital in Ghana?

If you'd like your facility to appear as a sponsored listing, get in touch. Listings are open only to facilities with a current Pharmacy Council or HeFRA license. They're limited to factual information about your services, and we don't run medicine ads of any kind. Sponsored listings never change what goes in the independent list.

Planning the whole trip? Start with my Ghana travel health checklist. It covers the yellow fever card, malaria tablets, and what to pack in your medicine bag.

Frequently asked questions

A quick note from me: this guide is general education, not personal medical advice. Your own doctor, pharmacist or a travel clinic knows your health history and can tailor this to you, so please talk to them before you go.