Family of Charles Amissah Sues 3 Major Hospitals and Government for GH¢20 Million Over Alleged Medical Negligence

The family of late engineer Charles Amissah has filed a GH¢20 million lawsuit against three major hospitals, several healthcare professionals, and the Attorney General over what they describe as a series of negligent actions that allegedly led to his preventable death following a road accident in Accra.

The case, filed at the General Jurisdiction Division of the High Court in Accra, has reignited national debate about Ghana’s emergency healthcare system and the persistent issue commonly referred to as the “No Bed Syndrome.”

Sister of Deceased Leads Legal Action

The suit is being spearheaded by Dr. Matilda Amissah, a medical doctor and sister of the deceased, who is acting as administratrix of the estate of Charles Amissah.

The defendants named in the suit include:

• Ghana Police Hospital
• Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital)
• Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
• Several doctors and nurses attached to the facilities
• The Attorney General’s Department

Dr. Amissah is seeking GH¢20 million in general damages over the death of her 29-year-old brother, whom she argues could have survived if timely emergency treatment had been provided.

What Happened to Charles Henry Amissah?

According to court documents, Charles Amissah, an Electronic and Automation Engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, was involved in a hit-and-run accident on the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Overpass at approximately 10:30 p.m. on February 6, 2026.

After he failed to return home, family members reported him missing at the Adentan Police Station.

Four days later, the family received a call from officers at the Nima Police Station informing them that an unidentified accident victim had been deposited at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

The family says they later discovered the body at the hospital mortuary in a horrifying state.

According to the suit, the body was found outside the cold room in a decomposing condition and reportedly infested with maggots.

Allegations Against the Hospitals

The lawsuit alleges that the National Ambulance Service initially transported the injured engineer to the Ghana Police Hospital after receiving an emergency distress call.

However, staff at the facility allegedly informed ambulance personnel that there were no available beds to admit him.

The suit claims ambulance officers pleaded with hospital staff to at least provide first aid because the victim was bleeding heavily, but no emergency stabilisation or urgent intervention was allegedly administered.

According to the statement of claim, the patient was then transferred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge, where another request for emergency treatment was reportedly declined on similar grounds of unavailable bed space.

The ambulance subsequently proceeded to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where the family alleges medical personnel again failed to provide immediate treatment despite appeals from ambulance staff to treat the patient directly on the stretcher.

Court documents state that Charles Amissah suffered cardiac arrest at approximately 12:50 a.m. and was later pronounced dead at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

“He Could Have Been Saved”

The plaintiff argues that Charles Amissah remained alive for more than two hours while being moved between hospitals and that prompt emergency care could have saved his life.

Post-mortem findings cited in the court documents reportedly identified:

• Deep laceration injuries to the right upper arm
• Severe blood loss
• Multiple fractures
• Trauma-related complications resulting from exsanguination (extreme blood loss)

Dr. Matilda Amissah accuses the hospitals and medical personnel of:

• Failure to provide emergency triage
• Failure to stabilise the patient
• Failure to conduct vital assessments
• Failure to prioritise urgent medical care despite the severity of his injuries

Family Says Trauma Continued After Death

Beyond the alleged medical negligence, the family says the handling of the deceased’s body caused additional emotional distress.

According to the suit, decomposition of the body prevented the family from properly laying him in state during funeral rites, intensifying their grief and trauma.

The plaintiff also argues that Charles Amissah had become the primary support system for their mother following the death of their father in 2019, making the loss even more devastating financially and emotionally.

Government Investigation Already Found Serious Lapses

The lawsuit follows findings from a government-appointed investigative committee chaired by renowned physician Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa.

Earlier this month, the committee concluded that failures by medical personnel at all three hospitals contributed significantly to the engineer’s death.

The committee reportedly found that timely emergency intervention could have saved Charles Amissah’s life.

Its report highlighted:

• Serious lapses in emergency response systems
• Weak coordination between hospitals
• Failure by clinicians to provide immediate life-saving treatment despite the patient arriving alive at all facilities

The committee also recommended disciplinary action against several healthcare professionals named in the lawsuit and called for broader reforms to Ghana’s emergency healthcare system.

Defendants Given Eight Days

According to the court filing, the defendants have been given eight days after service of the writ to enter appearance or risk judgment being entered against them by default.

The case is expected to attract significant national attention as it touches on longstanding concerns over emergency healthcare delivery, hospital capacity, and accountability within Ghana’s health system.

Source:Citinews

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