The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called for the swift passage of an Emergency Care Law to prevent what he described as avoidable deaths of accident victims in health facilities across Ghana.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!His call follows public outrage over the death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Ammisah, who reportedly died after being turned away from multiple hospitals in Accra following a hit-and-run incident earlier this month.
Addressing Parliament, Mr Bagbin said recurring reports of emergency patients allegedly being denied care pointed to deep systemic challenges that must be urgently addressed through legislation. According to him, a new law would ensure that health professionals who neglect their duty are held accountable while reinforcing standards of emergency response nationwide.
He directed Parliament’s Health Committee to thoroughly examine investigation reports from the Ministry of Health and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and present their findings to the House. The Speaker stressed that the matter had become one of national concern and should not be left solely to the institutions involved.
“The House must take control of this matter. We need to inquire further and hold the appropriate persons accountable,” he stated, adding that the Health Minister would be required to appear before Parliament once the committee concludes its work.
The Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who raised the issue on the floor, described the incident as a grave institutional failure. Citing Article 103 of the 1992 Constitution, he argued that Parliament has the authority and obligation to investigate matters of significant public interest, including possible maladministration.
Mr Afenyo-Markin called for hospital chief executives and heads of emergency units at the facilities involved to be summoned. He urged the committee to scrutinise triage logs, duty rosters and bed occupancy records from the night of the incident to determine whether established emergency care protocols were followed.
He referenced a 2018 directive issued by the Ghana Health Service prohibiting the denial of emergency treatment on the basis of bed shortages. The directive, he noted, mandates immediate triage and stabilisation of patients regardless of space constraints.
According to his account, the Ghana Ambulance Service responded promptly to a distress call and transported Mr Ammisah to three facilities — including the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital — but the victim was allegedly not admitted due to lack of beds. He claimed that no triage was conducted at the facilities before the patient later went into cardiac arrest.
“If misconduct is established, sanctions must follow. If negligence is proven, prosecution must follow,” Mr Afenyo-Markin insisted.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, also supported calls for accountability, describing the situation as deeply troubling. While acknowledging the challenges faced by health workers, he stressed the need for discipline, empathy and professionalism within the healthcare system.
Speaker Bagbin cautioned Members of Parliament against politicising the matter, reminding them that emergency care failures affect all citizens regardless of status.
As investigations proceed, Parliament is expected to determine whether new legislation is required to strengthen emergency care delivery and prevent similar tragedies in the future.