News:
February 24, 2026
In a passionate response to a tragic and preventable loss of life, the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, is championing the creation of an “Emergency Care Law” to overhaul Ghana’s crisis response in public health facilities.
The call to action follows the death of 29-year-old Charles Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, who succumbed to injuries after being turned away from three of Accra’s leading hospitals.
Amissah, a hit-and-run victim, was rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the Police Hospital, and the Ridge Hospital, only to be refused treatment at each facility under the pretext of “no bed” availability.
The incident has ignited public outrage and raised urgent questions about the state of Ghana’s emergency healthcare system, particularly the protocols for handling critical, life-threatening cases.
While the government, via the Ministry of Health, and the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital have launched separate probes into the incident, Parliament has resolved to take a more permanent legislative approach.
The Speaker emphasized that the legislature has a duty to intervene and ensure such a systemic failure never happens again.
“We cannot continue to lose citizens in this manner while hospitals turn a blind eye,” Speaker Bagbin is reported to have said. “An Emergency Care Law will establish clear protocols and accountability to protect the right to life at our emergency wards.”
To fast-track this process, the Speaker has directed the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to collaborate with relevant institutions to conduct a thorough investigation.
The committee has been tasked with reporting its findings and recommendations to the House within three weeks.
This expedited timeline is intended to pave the way for the drafting and promotion of a law aimed at permanently addressing the gaps in emergency medical response and preventing future needless deaths.
Dominic Shirimori/Ghanamps.com