Standards for bed occupancy should be one patient per bed with adequate spacing between patient beds and that this should not be exceeded. Ÿ Intended capacity may vary from original designs and across facilities and countries. For these reasons, it was proposed that ward design regarding bed capacity should be adhered to and in accordance with standards. In exceptional circumstances where bed capacity is exceeded, hospital management should act to ensure appropriate staffing levels that meet patient demand and an adequate distance between beds. These principles apply to all units and departments with inpatient beds, including emergency departments. Ÿ The WHO Workload Indicators of Staffing Need method provides health managers with a systematic way to determine how many health workers of a particular type are required to cope with the workload of a given health facility and decision-making (http://www.who.int/hrh/ resources/wisn_user_manual/en/). Ÿ Overcrowding was recognized as being a public health issue that can lead to disease transmission.