A major lawsuit has been filed at the High Court in Accra over the death of 29‑year‑old engineer Charles Henry Amissah, with his family accusing three leading public hospitals, several medical professionals, and the Attorney General of negligence that allegedly caused his death in February 2026. The action, initiated by Dr. Matilda Amissah as administratrix of the deceased’s estate, cites the Ghana Police Hospital, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as defendants.
Also named are multiple doctors and nurses on duty at the time, alongside the Attorney General, who joined as the state’s chief legal advisor. The plaintiff is seeking GH¢20 million in general damages, claiming the defendants jointly and severally breached their duty of care, resulting in the avoidable loss of her brother.
According to the statement of claim, Mr. Amissah, an Electronic and Automation Engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, was fatally injured in a hit‑and‑run accident at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Overpass on February 6, 2026, at about 10:30 p.m. The family says that after he failed to return home, a missing person report was lodged, before police later informed them that an accident victim had been found and taken to hospital.
The writ alleges that during the emergency response process, the patient was moved between the Police Hospital, Ridge Hospital, and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital without receiving adequate stabilisation, despite being in a critical condition and bleeding profusely. It further claims that repeated refusals to provide emergency care were justified on the basis of “no bed” availability, a situation the plaintiff argues amounted to a breach of medical duty and negligence.
The statement of claim also alleges that ambulance personnel pleaded for immediate intervention at each facility but were turned away without proper triage or life-saving treatment. Medical records cited in the suit indicate that the deceased suffered severe injuries, including damage to major blood vessels in the right upper arm, and ultimately died from complications associated with excessive blood loss.
The plaintiff is also accusing staff at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital of failing to properly preserve the body after death, leading to decomposition before burial.
Beyond the circumstances of death, the family highlights the emotional and financial toll, noting that the deceased had been supporting his mother and that significant family resources had been invested in his education abroad. They argue that the loss has caused severe hardship and warrants compensation.
The writ also references findings of a prior investigative committee into the “No Bed Syndrome,” chaired by Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, which concluded that the death could have been prevented if timely emergency interventions had been provided at various stages of care.
That report found that the patient was still alive when he arrived at each of the three major hospitals but was not properly stabilised, and identified systemic failures in emergency response, ambulance coordination, and clinical decision-making. The committee further recommended reforms and disciplinary action within Ghana’s emergency healthcare system, describing the death as avoidable.
The High Court is expected to serve all defendants, who are required to enter an appearance within eight days or risk judgment being entered in their absence. The case is expected to become a significant test of medical liability, emergency care standards, and the broader debate over Ghana’s struggling hospital capacity and the so-called “no bed syndrome.”
Source: Abigail Arthur
