‘Do not look for scapegoats’ — GMA demands systemic reforms after engineer’s death

Ghana’s emergency healthcare system has come under renewed scrutiny, with the Ghana Medical Association cautioning against blaming frontline health workers and urging decisive action to address systemic gaps to prevent further loss of life.

The concerns follow the death of a 29-year-old engineer, Charles Amissah, who was reportedly denied care at three public hospitals before he later died at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The incident has triggered widespread public concern and led to the interdiction of two doctors and two nurses. A committee has also been set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case. Mr Amissah, an employee of Promasidor Ghana Limited, sustained injuries in a hit-and-run accident on February 6, 2026. He was transported by emergency services but was turned away by facilities citing a lack of beds.

Speaking in a radio interview on Joy FM on February 24, 2026, the General Secretary of the association, Dr Richard Selormey, warned that the country risked repeating past failures if authorities focused on punishment rather than reform.

“But we also do not want it to be seen as if the nurses and doctors involved there are the only people and the problem. And we are looking for scapegoats to punish rather than solve, use it as an opportunity to solve a systemic problem. In other places, when issues like this happen, laws are even passed and big changes happen because of things like this,” he said.

Dr Selormey stressed that the challenges in emergency care go beyond individual actions, pointing to gaps in logistics, coordination and staffing that continue to affect patient outcomes.

He explained that although policies exist, including guidelines on accident and emergency care, what happens in practice often falls short. This, he noted, has led to recurring incidents linked to the long-standing “no bed syndrome”.

“There is always a translation from policy into reality,” he said, adding that many facilities lack basic elements such as functional triage systems, resuscitation areas, equipment and adequate personnel.

Dr Selormey described the emergency response system as disjointed, citing weak coordination between ambulances and hospitals, poor referral pathways and the absence of a reliable real time system to track bed availability.

He added that the situation was compounded by pressure on major referral centres such as Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, while smaller facilities remain under-resourced.

He also pointed to understaffing, low morale among health workers and delays in patients seeking care as factors contributing to the strain.

On emergency response operations, the National Ambulance Service acknowledged constraints affecting service delivery.

Its Deputy Director for Policy, Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Simon Akayiri Nyaaba, said that out of a national fleet of 318 ambulances, only 191 were operational as of the previous day, with 127 out of service.

He attributed the situation to ageing vehicles that have exceeded their five year lifespan, poor road conditions, especially in rural areas, and frequent breakdowns linked to maintenance and fuel quality issues.

Dr Nyaaba added that limited funding continues to affect operations, including the purchase of spare parts, fuel and supplies such as oxygen.

“The main issue I would say is that we lack a sustainable, reliable, and dedicated source of funding in terms of operations,” he said, adding that some districts still do not have ambulance stations.

For his part, pharmacist and health policy analyst Kwame Sarpong Asiedu of the Centre for Democratic Development said the situation reflects a long standing failure to act on known problems.

He referred to several reports, including a 2023 health facilities assessment, which pointed to severe equipment shortages in consultation rooms, as well as earlier warnings dating back to 2018 on the no bed syndrome.

According to him, the country already understands its health system challenges but has failed to implement recommended reforms.

“We have the diagnosis already. We know what we have to do,” he said, warning that continued inaction will lead to repeated fatal outcomes.

The association maintained that resolving the crisis requires a coordinated, system-wide response, including investment in infrastructure, improved referral systems, real-time bed tracking, better staffing and sustained funding.

Dr Selormey also urged the public to demand accountability from leaders and to ensure that ongoing investigations into recent incidents lead to lasting changes rather than temporary measures.

“We must all be invested if we are serious about this matter,” he said.