The president of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, has attributed the death of Charles Amissah at the centre of a national controversy to deep-rooted systemic failures in Ghana’s healthcare system, cautioning against blaming individual health workers.

Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Friday (8 May), Ofori-Ampofo said the case highlights longstanding weaknesses in emergency care delivery, including inadequate ambulance services, poor coordination between facilities, and severe staffing shortages.

“If you find yourself in an emergency in Ghana, the outcome is usually not the best because the system is not well built,” she said.

She pointed to gaps in pre-hospital care, noting that ambulance services often lack the personnel, logistics and coordination required to stabilise patients before reaching hospitals.

The GRNMA president also stressed that health workers are operating under intense pressure due to poor nurse-to-patient ratios, leading to burnout and compromised care delivery.

According to her, Ghana’s inability to employ thousands of trained nurses and midwives, despite existing shortages, further worsens the situation.

Ofori-Ampofo warned that focusing solely on individuals involved in the case risks ignoring the broader structural problems that continue to cost lives.

“We must use this incident to address systemic challenges, not to scapegoat professionals,” she said.

She added that without urgent reforms, similar incidents could recur, urging authorities to prioritise health investment and emergency care infrastructure.