Charles Amissah died from medical neglect, not instant trauma – Committee report

An investigative committee has concluded that Charles Amissah’s death was preventable, blaming prolonged blood loss and failures in emergency medical response for the tragedy.

Presenting the findings, committee chairman Agyeman Badu Akosa said pathology evidence showed that the victim did not die immediately after the road accident but remained alive long enough to have been saved with proper intervention.

“The pathology confirms a slow death from medical neglect, and was not from the instant trauma,” Prof. Akosa stated.

According to the report, Amissah was conscious or alive throughout his transfer from the accident scene to the Police Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and eventually the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

However, the committee found that none of the facilities provided critical emergency interventions such as controlling the bleeding, administering intravenous fluids, or arranging an immediate blood transfusion.

“What it means is that, if at any of these facilities, there had been medical intervention, Charles Amissah could have survived,” Prof. Akosa added.

The report identified the immediate cause of death as exsanguination — excessive blood loss — resulting from severe injuries to the arteries and veins in his upper right arm.

“Charles Amissah died of exsanguination. Excessive loss of blood, due to an upper right arm bone and soft tissue injury, causing damage to the axillary and brachial arteries and veins, following a road traffic accident,” the committee chairman explained.

The committee, established by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh on February 23, 2026, submitted its report on May 6 after reviewing the chain of events surrounding the incident.

Its findings described the death as avoidable and recommended disciplinary action against several doctors and nurses from the Police Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

Those named include Dr Anne-Marie Kudowo, Dr Nina Naomin Eyram, Dr Aida Druante, Dr Genevieve Adjah, Ms Akosua B. Turkson, Ms Joy Daisy Nelson, and Ms Salamatu Alhassan.

Beyond individual accountability, the report pointed to deeper weaknesses within Ghana’s emergency healthcare system and proposed wide-ranging reforms aimed at preventing future avoidable deaths.

Among the recommendations is the creation of a national emergency care fund to ensure critically ill patients receive immediate treatment without delays linked to financial concerns.

The committee also proposed a mandatory policy requiring all hospitals to stabilise emergency patients before referring them elsewhere.

Another major recommendation is the full integration of the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care and Emergency Hospital into the public healthcare system to support emergency care nationwide.

Prof. Akosa warned against allowing the report to suffer the fate of previous inquiries that were ignored.

“We want to ensure that this report does not collect dust but is acted upon,” he stressed.

Responding to the findings, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh directed that disciplinary measures be initiated against the health professionals cited in the report.

“As Professor stated, the most important aspect is for us to be able to avoid the avoidable deaths we have witnessed,” the Minister said.

He also announced plans to introduce a national electronic bed management system to improve emergency referrals and reduce treatment delays across hospitals.

“With these few words, I want to repeat and assure the committee that your work will not be in vain. We’ll endeavour to implement all the recommendations in the best interest of Mother Ghana,” he added.