Dr. Matilda Amissah, sister of a 29-year-old hit-and-run victim identified as Charles Amissah, has called for urgent reforms in Ghana’s emergency healthcare system following the tragic death of her brother.
Charles’ death has sparked widespread concern about the country’s healthcare system.
In an interview with Accra-based JoyNews on Tuesday, while acknowledging broader challenges within the health system, she stressed the need to strengthen emergency response capacity, particularly at smaller health facilities.
“I know we have a lot of issues in the health system that we need to address but I am still heartbroken. My heart is heavy but we are hoping that things will change,” she stated.
She called on government to invest in equipping smaller facilities to handle emergency cases, arguing that such reforms could save lives in the future.
“I think that we also have to equip the other small facilities to be able to handle emergency cases like these. We are hopeful that government will come in to help the healthcare system and strengthen the healthcare,” she added.
Commenting on what needs to be done to strengthen Ghana’s emergency care system. She emphasised the importance of a strong triage system, which helps healthcare workers prioritise patients based on the severity of their conditions.
“It’s all about confidence in triage,” she said. “If the triage system is strong enough, doctors can intervene and give first aid immediately. If it’s blood, the patient will need it. But if you don’t look properly, you won’t see.”
She continued, “I would say that we can strengthen the triage system and equip doctors to be able to handle emergencies properly. It would go a long way.”
Currently, two doctors and two nurses at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have been interdicted as part of an ongoing investigation into the matter but Dr Amissah stressed that the action will not bring back their loved one.
“It won’t bring back Charles, Charles is gone but at least it is a step that we have taken. The bigger issue is there that we have to handle but Charles is gone,”
Loving son and backbone of the house
Describing him as “very quiet, loving and a young gentleman,” Dr. Amissah said Charles was the backbone of the family and a pillar of support to their mother.
“He was the backbone of the house, supported my mum and everything. Because he was an engineer, he could dismantle and put things back together within a twinkle of an eye,” she said holding back her tears.
Recalling the horrific day the family learnt of Charles’ passing, she said they had initially believed Charles had gone missing and reported the matter to the police.
They later received a call from the Nima Police Station informing them of an accident victim whose body they need to identify.
“We thought he was missing so we looked for him and reported to the police, they also did their part to search for him until Nima Police station called that there was an accident and we need to identify someone, the age is 48,” she recounted.
When they arrived at the Korle Bu Mortuary, they were shocked to find Charles’s motionless body.
“We went to the Korle-Bu mortuary and here he was,” she added.
According to Dr. Amissah, they later discovered that the National Ambulance Service had picked him up after the accident and transported him to three different health facilities over nearly three hours, but he was not attended to due to reported lack of bed.
“Until later on, we realized that National Ambulance picked him up and went to three facilities close to three hours and nobody saw him,” she said, expressing heartbreak over the circumstances surrounding his death.
A Legacy of Strength and Resilience
When asked how she would like her brother to be remembered, Dr Amissah described Charles as a man of great strength and resilience, someone who always went above and beyond to help others.
“I want us to remember him as a strong, resilient young man, ready to fix things and make things right,” she said.
Despite the grief, Dr. Amissah said the family is drawing comfort from their faith as they support their mother, who has struggled to cope with the loss.
Funeral Preparations
Dr Amissah confirmed that preparations are underway for the funeral of Charles Amissah on Friday at the Methodist Church at Adenta in Accra.
“We are 90% ready for the funeral,” Dr Amissah said. “Promasidor has been very supportive in helping with the preparations.”
Background
The deceased, 29-year-old Charles Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, sustained severe shoulder injuries in a hit-and-run accident at the Circle Overpass in Accra on February 6, 2026.
He was stabilised by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel and prepared for transfer to a hospital for further treatment.
Reports indicate that Amissah was unable to secure admission at the Police Hospital, Ridge Hospital, and Korle Bu due to a lack of available beds. While at Korle Bu, he reportedly went into cardiac arrest.
He was later pronounced dead despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to revive him.
