Tragedy in Accra: 29-Year-Old Engineer Dies After Three Major Hospitals Refuse Emergency Care for Three Hours

On February 6, 2026, the persistent 'no bed syndrome' in Ghana’s healthcare system claimed the life of Charles Amissah, a 29-year-old engineer, following a tragic hit-and-run incident at the Nkrumah Circle Overpass in Accra. Despite the prompt response of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) from the National Ambulance Service, Amissah was denied emergency care for nearly three hours as three of the capital's major medical facilities turned him away. The incident has reignited public outrage over the fatal consequences of hospital overcrowding and the systemic failure to prioritize life-saving interventions in critical emergencies. The ordeal began when EMTs arrived at the scene to find Amissah with severe injuries. The medical team successfully controlled his bleeding and stabilized him before beginning a desperate search for a hospital bed. Their first stop, the Police Hospital, refused admission due to a lack of vacant beds. Similar rejections followed at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Even as the EMTs offered to continue treating the patient within the ambulance to mitigate the lack of indoor space, hospital administrators maintained their refusal, leaving the critically injured man trapped in a medical limbo. As the search for an available bed dragged into its third hour, Amissah’s condition deteriorated rapidly. He eventually suffered a cardiac arrest while still inside the ambulance. Despite the EMTs' intensive efforts at resuscitation, they were unable to revive him, and he was subsequently pronounced dead by hospital staff upon a final attempt at admission. The tragedy was compounded by a lack of communication with his relatives; his family remained unaware of the accident and spent three days searching for him, only to discover his body at the Korle Bu morgue after filing a missing person report. This fatal incident highlights a critical and recurring crisis within Ghana’s emergency healthcare infrastructure. The 'no bed syndrome' continues to pose a significant threat to citizens, revealing a disconnect between emergency protocols and the actual capacity of state-run hospitals to handle trauma cases. While the National Ambulance Service demonstrated professional competence in their initial response, the refusal of three major institutions to provide even basic stabilization suggests a need for urgent policy reform and increased investment in emergency medical facilities to prevent further avoidable loss of life.