Charles Amissah’s family sues 3 hospitals, doctors, AG; seeks GH¢20m in damages

The family of deceased engineer Charles Henry Amissah has sued three major health facilities, several medical professionals and the Attorney General's Department over what they describe as a chain of negligent acts that led to his death after a road accident in Accra.

The suit was filed by Dr. Matilda Amissah, sister of the deceased and administratrix of his estate, who is seeking GH¢20 million in general damages at the High Court in Accra. The February 2026 incident triggered national outrage and revived concerns over Ghana’s persistent “No Bed Syndrome.”

The defendants include the Ghana Police Hospital, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and multiple doctors and nurses attached to the facilities.

According to the statement of claim, 29-year-old Electronic and Automation Engineer Charles Henry Amissah, who worked with Promasidor Ghana Limited, was involved in a hit-and-run accident on the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Overpass at about 10:30 p.m. on February 6, 2026.

After he failed to return home, relatives reported him missing at the Adentan Police Station. Four days later, the family was contacted by officers at the Nima Police Station and informed that an accident victim had been taken to Korle-Bu.

Dr. Amissah told the court the family found the body in a decomposing state outside the cold room at the Korle-Bu mortuary, already infested with maggots.

The writ alleges that the National Ambulance Service first transported the injured engineer to the Police Hospital after a distress call. However, staff at the facility allegedly stated that there was no available bed.

The plaintiff claims ambulance personnel pleaded with staff to at least administer first aid because the victim was bleeding heavily, but no emergency stabilisation was provided.

The suit further states that Amissah was transferred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, where another request for urgent care was allegedly declined over the same claim of unavailable bed space.

According to the filing, the ambulance then headed to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, where the plaintiff alleges that medical personnel again refused immediate care despite appeals to treat the patient on the stretcher.

The documents state that Amissah later suffered cardiac arrest at about 12:50 a.m. and was pronounced dead at Korle-Bu.

The plaintiff argues that he remained alive for more than two hours while being moved between hospitals and could have survived if emergency interventions had been administered promptly.

Post-mortem findings cited in the suit list deep lacerations to the right upper arm, severe blood loss, fractures and trauma-related complications resulting from exsanguination.

Dr. Amissah accuses the hospitals and staff of negligence, including failure to provide emergency triage, stabilisation, vital assessments and prioritised care despite the severity of his condition. She also argues that the mishandling of the body added further trauma, as decomposition prevented the family from laying the remains in state.

The suit follows the findings of a government-appointed committee chaired by Agyeman Badu Akosa, which investigated the circumstances surrounding the death. The committee concluded earlier this month that failures by medical personnel at all three hospitals contributed to the engineer’s death and that timely interventions could have saved him.

Its report cited serious lapses in emergency response, weak coordination between institutions and failures by clinicians to provide life-saving care, despite the patient arriving alive at each facility. It also recommended disciplinary action against several healthcare professionals named in the suit and called for broader reforms to Ghana’s emergency healthcare system.

Dr. Amissah maintains that the defendants’ actions caused immense emotional and financial hardship, noting that the deceased had become the primary support for their mother following their father’s death in 2019.

The defendants have eight days after service of the writ to enter appearance or risk judgment being entered against them in default.