Ghana Medical Association urges emergency healthcare system overhaul after Amissah report

The association warns that without addressing deep-rooted structural problems in health facilities, more lives will be lost. Dr. Dan Anane-Frimpong, Deputy General Secretary of the GMA, stated on the Asaase Breakfast show on Friday, April 8, 2026, that Charles Amissah's death is not an isolated incident and that the country continues to face long-standing issues, indicating a lack of systemic redesign. Dr. Anane-Frimpong identified critical weaknesses including a shortage of emergency beds, insufficient staff, and poor inter-hospital coordination.

He highlighted the severe situation in the Greater Accra Region, which has approximately six million people but only about 200 emergency beds, significantly below the required capacity. He advocated for a modern, integrated electronic bed management system to improve collaboration between ambulances and hospitals, noting that the absence of such a system leads to ambulances transporting patients between facilities in search of space, often with fatal outcomes. The GMA also advocates for dedicated funding for emergency care to ensure that no patient is denied treatment due to an inability to pay upfront, emphasizing that emergency healthcare should not be contingent on a patient's financial status.