Korle Bu interdicts four staff over death of engineer turned away from facility

Two doctors and two nurses suspended pending investigation into tragic death of Charles Amissah

The management of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has interdicted two medical doctors and two nurses following their alleged refusal to provide emergency care to a 29-year-old engineer who later died at the facility.

The decision, outlined in a statement released on Monday, February 23, 2026, comes amid mounting public concern over the circumstances surrounding the death of Charles Amissah, an employee of Promasidor Ghana Limited.

Amissah succumbed to severe injuries sustained in a hit-and-run accident on February 6, after what witnesses describe as a distressing journey through Accra’s emergency care system.

“In line with established administrative procedures, a committee has been constituted to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and the unfortunate death of the victim,” the statement from hospital management read.

Desperate search for care

The tragedy began at the Circle Overpass, where Amissah was struck by a vehicle. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel arrived swiftly, stabilising him and preparing him for urgent transfer. However, what should have been a rapid journey to definitive care turned into a desperate search for a facility willing to admit him.

According to sources close to the ambulance team, Amissah was turned away by three major hospitals—the Police Hospital, Ridge Hospital, and finally Korle Bu Teaching Hospital—each citing a lack of available beds.

Upon arrival at Korle Bu, the country’s premier tertiary referral centre, ambulance staff pleaded with on-duty personnel to accept the patient, warning that further attempts to transfer him could prove fatal.

Despite these desperate entreaties, hospital staff allegedly refused to admit him. It was while he remained in the ambulance bay or within the hospital precincts—unattended by the facility’s staff—that Amissah went into cardiac arrest.

Although CPR was administered, it proved unsuccessful. He was later certified dead, and his body was conveyed to the mortuary. The EMS team returned to base in the early hours of February 7, their mission ended in tragedy.

Hospital responds

In response to the public outcry, Korle Bu’s management stated that the interdicted staff are suspected of failing in their duty to provide emergency medical care.

“Pending the outcome of the committee’s work, the Board and Management call on all persons connected to the matter to cooperate fully with the committee to ensure a fair and transparent inquiry,” the statement continued.

The hospital has reaffirmed its commitment to “transparency, accountability and the delivery of quality healthcare services,” promising that further information will be communicated upon the completion of the investigation.