The committee established to investigate the death of Charles Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, has presented its findings to the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh.

The report was officially handed over on May 6, following weeks of investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 29-year-old engineer.

Amissah died after he was involved in a hit-and-run incident at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Overpass in Accra.

According to the committee, the victim’s death was linked to lapses in emergency medical care at the health facilities where he was taken for treatment after the accident.

 

The committee concluded that delays and failures in providing the necessary medical attention contributed significantly to his death, raising fresh concerns about emergency healthcare delivery in the country.

Here are key findings of the Committee:

Cause of death:

Charles Amissah died of Exsanguination (excessive loss of blood) due to right upper arm bone & soft tissue injuries, causing damage to axillary & brachial arteries & veins, following a road traffic accident.

Death of Charles Amissah could have been avoided by:

·       Medical intervention at the Police Hospital, GARH or KBTH.

·       Application of compression on the laceration & packing of deeper wound during transportation in ambulance.

·       Administration of intravenous fluids in ambulance during transportation.

·       Administration of intravenous fluids & whole blood at Police Hospital, GARH or KBTH.

Key findings related to the NAS:

·       Lack of documentation of critical vital signs of the patient.

·       Lack of formal handing over procedures.

·       Lack of proper chain of command interaction.

·       Tube of BP apparatus cuff in ambulance too short for continuous monitoring of the patient’s BP.

Key findings related to the Police Hospital:

·       Ambulance arrived at hospital with the patient alive.

·       Hospital failed to triage the patient &  initiate stabilizing interventions.

·       Ambulance moved with the patient out of hospital after about 11 minutes.

Key findings related to the GARH:

·       Ambulance arrived at hospital with the patient alive.

·       Hospital failed to triage the patient & initiate stabilizing interventions.

·       Ambulance moved with the patient out of hospital after about 17 minutes.

Key findings related to the KBTH:

·       Ambulance arrived at hospital with the patient alive.

·       Hospital failed to triage the patient & initiate stabilizing interventions.

·       Ambulance crew was redirected by KBTH to UGMC.

·       The patient died in the ambulance in about 70 minutes while in hospital.

Key findings in respect of the ambulance crew:

·       Inconsistency in the taking & reporting of vital signs of the patient.

·       Lack of basic life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) & advanced trauma life support (ATLS) skills.

Key findings in respect of professionals (1):

·       Dr.(Med) Anne-Marie Kudowor failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at Police Hospital, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood; & was untruthful to the Committee.

Key findings in respect of professionals (2):

·       Dr.(Med) Nina Naomi Eyram Adotevi failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at GARH, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood.

Key findings in respect of professionals (3):

·       Dr.(Med) Ida Druant failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at KBTH, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood.

Key findings in respect of professionals (4):

·       Dr.(Med) Genevieve Adjar failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at KBTH, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood.

Key findings in respect of professionals (5):

·       Miss Akosua B. Turkson failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at GARH, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood.

Key findings in respect of professionals (6):

·       Miss Joy Daisy Nelson failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at KBTH, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood.

Key findings in respect of professionals (7):

·       Miss Salamatu Alhassan Aidoo failed to exercise ethical & professional judgment prudently by not attending to Charles Amissah in a life-threatening condition at KBTH, leading to his death later from severe loss of blood.

Recommendations

·       Dr.(Med) Anne-Marie Kudowor should be referred to Police Hospital & MDC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah; & for being untruthful to the Committee.

·       Dr.(Med) Nina Naomi Eyram Adotevi should be referred to GARH & MDC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah.

·       Dr.(Med) Ida Druant should be referred to KBTH & MDC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah.

·       Dr.(Med) Genevieve Adjar should be referred to KBTH & MDC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah.

·       Miss Akosua B. Turkson should be referred to GARH & NMC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah.

·       Miss Joy Daisy Nelson should be referred to KBTH & NMC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah.

·       Miss Salamatu Alhassan Aidoo should be referred to KBTH & NMC for disciplinary action against her for breach of professional duty to Charles Amissah.

·       Expedite action on the establishment of a National Electronic Emergency Bed Management System (NEEBMS).

·       Take steps to fully integrate the Ghana Armed Forces Critical Care & Emergency Hospital (GAFCCEH) into the national emergency and critical care system.

·       Ensure compulsory triaging of all patients brought to healthcare facilities in a state of emergency across the country.

·       Establish a National Emergency Care Fund (NECF) to enable emergency care for the first 24 hours in public & private healthcare facilities across the country.

·       Expedite action on legislation for public & private healthcare facilities to prioritize life-threatening cases & ensure stabilizing interventions for patients in need of emergency care across the country.

·       Ensure basic life support (BLS) & advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training for health workers, pupils, students & general public.

·       Establish a national governance & management system for emergency care to ensure implementation of all game-changing interventions in public & private healthcare facilities across the country.