An independent investigation into the death of Charles Amissah has concluded that he did not die immediately from injuries sustained in a road accident, but rather from prolonged and preventable blood loss caused by failures in emergency medical care.
According to the report, Amissah remained alive throughout his transfer from the accident scene to the Police Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. However, none of the facilities reportedly provided urgent life-saving treatment such as bleeding control, intravenous fluids, or blood transfusion.
The committee’s findings described the case as a “slow death from medical neglect,” stressing that prompt intervention at any stage could likely have saved his life. The report noted that his fatal injury — a deep wound to the arm that damaged major blood vessels — was survivable with basic emergency treatment.
The investigative committee was established by Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, on February 23, 2026, and submitted its report on May 6, 2026. Chaired by retired pathologist and former Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Agyeman Badu Akosa, the committee examined the sequence of events, decisions, and delays surrounding the incident.
Presenting the findings, Prof. Akosa stated that the pathology report confirmed Amissah died from exsanguination — severe blood loss — resulting from extensive injuries to the arteries and veins in his upper right arm following the crash. He maintained that the death was avoidable and represented a tragic series of missed opportunities within the healthcare system.
The committee recommended disciplinary action against several health professionals from the three hospitals involved, including doctors and nurses accused of failing to provide adequate emergency intervention.
In response to the findings, the committee proposed wide-ranging reforms aimed at strengthening Ghana’s emergency healthcare system. Among the recommendations were the establishment of a national emergency care fund to guarantee immediate treatment for critically injured patients regardless of their ability to pay, and a mandatory policy requiring all hospitals to stabilize emergency patients before referrals are made.
The report also called for expanded emergency response training for healthcare professionals and the general public, warning that unless urgent reforms are implemented, similar preventable deaths could occur in the future.
Following the release of the report, Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh directed that disciplinary processes begin immediately against the health workers named in the investigation. He also announced plans to strengthen emergency healthcare delivery through reforms, including the introduction of a national electronic bed management system to improve patient referrals and reduce delays in treatment.
