Charles Amissah, an accident victim, was reportedly turned away by three public hospitals while being transported in an ambulance. He later died.

The 29-year-old deceased, 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.

Although cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered, efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was later pronounced dead.

What makes this even more painful is this: two of his sisters are medical doctors in Ghana.

One of them, Dr (Med) Matilda Amissah, works at the Emergency Unit of the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. She is an award-winning emergency care professional, recognised for her commitment to saving lives.

Yet when an emergency knocked on her own family’s door, the system failed them.

In an emotional interview with Joy News and Daily Graphic, she shared words that are difficult to read without feeling the weight of her grief.

“I've saved lives, and people come and thank me at the emergency unit. I won an award for Best Emergency Medical Officer.

“I went for the Osabarima Royal Awards for Best Department Emergency, and in less than a month, this is what has happened to my brother.

“I'm looking at his injuries, and I'm like, there are 1,000 ways to save this shoulder, but nobody looked, nobody looked. It's heartbreaking.”

She continued, “Honestly, the news of his passing broke me. I’ve worked in emergency care for two years, and I have never experienced a situation where an accident victim is turned away by health workers.

“It really, really broke my mum.

“Right now, people are scared, scared that if something happens and you call for help, there may be no bed.

“I was like, ‘Wow.’ I still can’t believe it. Three hours, and no one could help him.

“I know that we have a lot of issues in the healthcare system that we have to address. But I’m still heartbroken. I’m smiling, but my heart is heavy. We were hoping that things would change.

“It’s all about confidence in triage. If the triage system is strong enough, doctors can intervene and give first aid immediately.”

Read Also: “He was the backbone of the house” – Sister of hit-and-run victim speaks out after tragic loss

This is more than a family tragedy. It is a national conversation.

When a doctor trained to save lives says her own brother could have been saved — that “there are 1,000 ways” — we must listen.

Beyond the grief is a question we cannot ignore: do we truly have a system that responds when it matters most?