The committee investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Engineer Charles Amissah has concluded that his death followed a “118-minute fatal referral loop,” marked by repeated transfers between major health facilities, delayed admissions, and worsening clinical conditions during the process.
Engineer Amissah, who died following a hit-and-run incident at the Circle Overpass on February 6, 2026, prompted public concern over emergency care coordination in Accra’s major hospitals.
Presenting the committee’s findings to the Ministry of Health on Wednesday, May 6, Prof Badu Agyeman AKosa outlined a timeline that begins at 22:32, when the patient was first assessed at the scene and found to be clinically stable, with oxygen saturation recorded at 99 percent and blood pressure at 120/80.
According to the report, the first transfer occurred at 22:43 when the patient arrived at the Police Hospital, marking his entry into the formal hospital system.
Eleven minutes later, at 22:58, he was moved to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), where clinicians reportedly observed signs consistent with early organ shock, described in the report as “shocked kidneys.”
At 23:20, 48 minutes after the incident began, the patient was transferred again, this time arriving at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the country’s premier referral facility.
Despite reaching Korle Bu, the report states that the patient’s condition continued to deteriorate. At 00:30, 118 minutes after the initial incident, he was pronounced dead. The cause of death was recorded as cerebral oedema and fatal exsanguination.
The committee further noted operational challenges within the referral chain, including delays linked to bed availability, referenced in the report as part of a “no bed syndrome” situation encountered during transfers between facilities.
Pathological findings cited in the report describe the outcome as a “slow death via medical neglect,” attributing the fatality not to a single point of failure but to cumulative delays across multiple handovers.
