Charles Amissah’s family sues 3 hospitals, doctors and AG, seeks GH¢20m compensation

A medical doctor has filed a major lawsuit against three of Ghana’s leading public hospitals, several healthcare professionals, and the Attorney General, alleging that a chain of negligent actions and refusal of emergency treatment led to the tragic death of her younger brother following a road accident in February 2026.

Dr. Matilda Amissah, who is suing as administratrix of her late brother’s estate, is seeking GH¢20 million in general damages over the death of Charles Henry Amissah, a 29-year-old Electronic and Automation Engineer employed by Promasidor Ghana Limited.

According to the statement of claim filed before the High Court in Accra, Charles Amissah was involved in a hit-and-run accident on the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Overpass at approximately 10:30 p.m. on February 6, 2026.

The suit states that personnel from the National Ambulance Service responded to the incident and transported the critically injured engineer to the Ghana Police Hospital for emergency treatment. However, medical staff at the facility allegedly declined to admit him, citing the unavailability of bed space despite the patient reportedly suffering severe bleeding and visible trauma.

Dr. Amissah alleges that ambulance personnel pleaded with staff at the hospital to at least provide basic first aid or stabilise the victim while arrangements were made for further treatment, but the requests were allegedly ignored.

The ambulance team subsequently transported Charles Amissah to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, where treatment was again allegedly refused on similar grounds. According to the suit, the patient was later taken to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Ghana’s largest referral hospital, where emergency intervention was also reportedly delayed despite appeals from emergency personnel.

The lawsuit claims that medical staff at Korle-Bu declined to immediately attend to the victim while he remained on the ambulance stretcher in critical condition. Charles Amissah reportedly suffered cardiac arrest at approximately 12:50 a.m. and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.

Dr. Amissah contends that her brother remained alive for more than two hours while being transferred between hospitals and argues that timely emergency medical intervention could have prevented his death.

Post-mortem findings referenced in the lawsuit reportedly indicate that the engineer died from exsanguination caused by deep lacerations, severe blood loss, and trauma-related complications resulting from the accident.

The legal action follows investigations conducted by a government-appointed committee chaired by Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa. The committee reportedly concluded that failures by medical personnel at all three hospitals significantly contributed to the victim’s death and that appropriate emergency interventions could have saved his life.

According to the suit, the committee recommended disciplinary action against several healthcare professionals named in the case over their alleged roles in the incident.

Beyond the alleged medical negligence, Dr. Amissah also accused authorities of improperly handling her brother’s remains after his death. She claims the family suffered additional emotional trauma because decomposition of the body allegedly made it impossible for the deceased to be laid in state before burial.

The lawsuit is expected to reignite national debate over emergency healthcare delivery, patient admission procedures, and the state of Ghana’s public health infrastructure, particularly regarding access to urgent trauma care.

The defendants named in the suit have reportedly been given eight days after service of the writ to enter appearance before the court.