'Don't treat health workers as scapegoats' - GMA president reacts to Amissah death report

The President of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), Dr Ernest Yorke, has cautioned against unduly blaming doctors and nurses following the release of the report on the death of engineer Charles Amissah.

In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Dr Yorke indicated that commentary around the report suggests certain health professionals may have failed in their duties.

He, however, noted that critics have not considered the deeper systemic problems within the healthcare system.

“The ongoing discussions imply that some doctors or nurses didn’t perform their duties correctly, but there is a much broader systemic issue at play,” an adomonline.com report May 7, 2026, quoted him to have said.

He cautioned that focusing solely on individual blame without addressing structural challenges in emergency healthcare could lead to similar tragedies in the future.

Dr Yorke confirmed that some health workers involved in the case have been referred for disciplinary proceedings, describing this move as an appropriate course of action.

“They have been referred for disciplinary proceedings, and I believe that is acceptable because it follows the proper process,” he noted.

He, however, stressed that the disciplinary process must be fair and should not unfairly make health professionals scapegoat instead of addressing broader failures in the healthcare system.

“But let’s not use them as scapegoats,” he emphasised.

“We will be monitoring the situation and consulting our members to ensure they are treated fairly. The process must continue, and the outcome must be transparent,” he added.

He also urged Ghanaians to view this incident as a national lesson and work together to improve emergency healthcare delivery across the country.

“Since we are all potential patients who can find ourselves in such situations, we must use this opportunity to vow that this should never happen again. No matter how tragic this incident is, we must unite and address it as our collective responsibility,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has directed that seven health professionals face disciplinary action following investigations into Amissah’s death.

Those referred include Dr Aida Druante, Dr Genevieve Adjah, Joy Daisy Nelson, and Salamatu Alhassan from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), as well as, Dr Nina Naomin Eyram, Akosua B Turkson from the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH), and Dr Anne-Marie Kudowo from the Police Hospital.

Charles Amissah, an engineer with Promasidor Ghana Limited, died from injuries sustained in a hit-and-run accident after being knocked off his motorbike in February 2026.

NAD/VPO

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