The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has launched an official investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of a young engineer who was denied emergency care by three of Accra’s leading hospitals following a hit-and-run accident last week.
The victim, identified as 29-year-old Charles Amissah, succumbed to his injuries after being refused treatment for nearly three hours by the Ridge, Police, and Korle Bu Teaching Hospitals. The incident has reignited a fierce public debate over the adherence to the “no bed syndrome” directive, a policy explicitly forbidding health facilities from turning away emergency cases due to a lack of vacant beds.
According to reports, Amissah, an engineer employed by Promasidor Ghana Limited at the North Industrial Area, was heading home to Adenta on his red motorcycle after work. The accident occurred at the Nkrumah Circle Overpass, after which the driver fled the scene.
Despite repeated directives from the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) instructing facility managers to provide immediate care to casualties—whether on a couch, a table, or a wheelchair—eyewitness accounts suggest that Amissah was shuttled between the three major medical centers only to be turned away at each.
The GHS has consistently maintained that a physical bed is not a prerequisite for administering life-saving emergency treatment. However, Friday’s events suggest a stark disregard for these standing orders.
Minister Akandoh has directed a full-scale inquiry to determine why the directives were ignored and to hold those responsible accountable. The investigation will also examine the timeline of events and communication between the hospitals and emergency services.
“This is an unacceptable failure of our system,” a source close to the Minister stated. “The Ministry is committed to ensuring that such a tragedy never occurs again and that the families of victims receive the justice they deserve.”
More details on the investigation are expected to be released in the coming days as the Ministry moves to reinforce its protocols on emergency care.
