A committee investigating the death of a road accident victim, Charles Amissah, has concluded that failures in emergency medical care — not the initial injuries — led to his death, raising fresh concerns about hospital response systems in Ghana.

Amissah, a 29-year-old engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, was knocked down in a hit-and-run incident at the Circle Overpass on 6 February and was reportedly stabilised at the scene before being taken for further treatment.

However, the committee found that he was turned away by multiple facilities, including Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital and the Police Hospital, resulting in critical delays.

“The pathology confirms that this was a slow death from medical neglect and not from the instant trauma. What it means is that if at any of these facilities there had been medical intervention, Charles Amissah would have survived,” the committee said.

According to the findings, repeated referrals and delays in admission worsened his condition, eventually leading to cardiac arrest at Korle Bu, where he was pronounced dead.

The report said none of the hospitals provided the immediate emergency intervention required at the triage stage.

In response, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has interdicted two doctors and two nurses over their alleged roles in the incident, as investigations continue into possible sanctions.

The case has intensified scrutiny of Ghana’s emergency healthcare system, particularly longstanding concerns about referral practices and the refusal of critically ill patients due to capacity and administrative constraints.

Health authorities have yet to outline specific reforms, but the findings are likely to increase pressure on the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to strengthen emergency care protocols nationwide.