'No bed syndrome,' and how a hit-and-run victim was refused emergency care by Ridge, Police, Korle Bu hospitals for close to 3 hours before he died
For close to three hours last Friday [February 6, 2026], a victim of a hit-and-run incident at Nkrumah Circle Overpass in Accra was refused emergency care by three major hospitals in Accra, with the explanation of "no vacant bed available," until he died.
The Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) from the National Ambulance Service had received a walk-in call around 10:32 pm on that day to attend to an emergency Road Traffic Crash (RTC) at Circle Overpass.
They responded and mobilised to the scene within three minutes, arriving by 10:35 pm.
From that period till around 00:50 am, the EMT from the ambulance service fruitlessly negotiated with the three hospitals to either admit the victim or attend to him in the ambulance before he died.
That victim was later identified as 29-year-old Charles Amissah, an engineer who was working at Promasidor Ghana Limited at North Industrial Area in Accra, producers of Cowbell milk and other food products.
On that day, Charles had closed from work at the North Industrial Area and was on his way home to Adenta on a red motorcycle when he was involved in a hit-and-run incident at the Nkrumah Circle Overpass in Accra.
Information available to Graphic Online gleaned from a situational report (SITREP) indicates that the EMT from the ambulance Service, after responding to the distress call, first took the victim, weighing 120kg, with a height of 1.75m, to the Police Hospital, then to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) before Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
All three major hospitals did not admit the victim, nor did the staff offer emergency care, even when the ambulance EMT offered to wait and use the ambulance trolley; staff at the Police Hospital said there was no space within the facility.
During the almost three hours, no hospital staff attended to the casualty, nor were vital signs taken in the three places.
At Korle Bu, the EMT from the ambulance service had negotiated that, due to the deterioration of the patient’s condition, they were objecting to further transportation and explained that continued movement could place the patient in a dangerous situation.
This was when Korle Bu, which was the third hospital they had been to that night, rejected the victim and advised the crew to continue to transport him to the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) at Legon.
However, despite several negotiations which lasted more than 30 minutes at Korle Bu in particular, the victim was still refused, and no hospital staff attended to the casualty, nor were vital signs taken.
The victim went through the ordeal for close to three hours in the hands of the ambulance personnel before going into cardiac arrest, and even though cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was immediately initiated by the ambulance EMT after about 30 minutes of negotiations and waiting at Korle Bu, it yielded no positive outcome.
The victim died, and it was only then that one Dr. Nkrumah, who was on duty at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, came out to certify the patient dead and instructed the crew to convey the body to the mortuary.
Victim identified
All this time, the family of the victim was not aware of what had happened.
When he did not return to the house in Adenta, they lodged a complaint at the Adenta Police Station, and he was declared missing. Information about him was shared on social media for public assistance to locate him.
"Last seen 6th February 2026 at Santa Maria on a red motorcycle wearing a red round neck shirt, Jam-suit trousers and red shoes," the family wrote on a poster shared on social media, indicating that their relative Charles Amissah was missing.
It was not until Monday, February 9, 2026, that they got a response from the Nima Police Station.
When they responded and went to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, they got the confirmation that Charles Amissah was the said victim of the hit-and-run and was in the cold room at the mortuary.
Charles's sister told Graphic Online that, he decided to acquire the motorcycle recently to aid in his movement to and from work, because of the distance from Adenta to North Industrial Area.
When Graphic Online contacted the family, the sister explained that, when they initially got the information from the Nima Police Station on Monday, February 9, they were told that the victim was a suspected 48-year-old, only for them to arrive at the cold room to confirm that, it was their 29-year-old Charles.
Details of what happened as seen by Graphic Online from the situational report
22:32 hrs: Ambulance received a walk-in call to attend an emergency Road Traffic Crash (RTC) at Circle Overpass.
22:33 hrs: Ambulance mobilized to the scene.
22:35 hrs: Ambulance arrived at the scene.
22:35 hrs: Charlie Watch crew responded to the male trauma patient involved in a motor crash (hit and run).
22:36 hrs: Crew made contact with the casualty. Upon arrival, the patient was found lying supine on the road with profuse bleeding from a deep shoulder laceration.
Initial Assessment:
BP: 120/90 mmHg
Pulse: 100 bpm
Respiratory Rate: 25 bpm
SpO₂: 99%
Temperature: 36.4°C
Interventions:
EMS crew-controlled bleeding using a gauze bandage, applied a cervical collar, log-rolled the patient onto a spine board, and loaded him into the ambulance. Oxygen therapy was initiated via nasal prongs at 4 liters per minute. Vital signs were monitored every five (5) minutes.
22:40 hrs: Ambulance mobilized with patient to Police Hospital.
22:43 hrs: Ambulance arrived at Police Hospital but patient was rejected due to unavailability of beds. The crew offered the use of the ambulance trolley; however, staff stated there was no space within the facility.
22:53 hrs: Crew mobilized to Ridge General Hospital.
22:58 hrs: Crew arrived at Ridge Hospital; patient was again rejected for the same reason.
23:15 hrs: Crew mobilized to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
23:20 hrs: Crew arrived at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital; patient was rejected and the crew was advised to continue transport to University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC).
Due to the deterioration of the patient’s condition, the crew objected to further transportation and explained that continued movement could place the patient in a dangerous situation. Despite several negotiations, the patient was still refused. No hospital staff attended to the casualty, nor were vital signs taken.
The crew continued monitoring the patient for approximately 30 minutes, during which the patient went into cardiac arrest.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was immediately initiated but yielded no positive outcome. The patient presented with fixed dilated pupils, cold skin temperature, and showed no signs of life despite several resuscitative attempts.
Dr. Nkrumah, who was on duty, came to certify the patient dead and instructed the crew to convey the body to the mortuary.
00:50 hrs: EMS crew mobilized with the body to the mortuary.
00:53 hrs: Body was handed over to the appropriate authority, and a death certification document was issued to the crew.
02:33 hrs: Crew mobilized back to base.
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