The Ghana Medical Association has expressed deep concern over the handling of the investigative report into the death of engineer Charles Amissah, warning that the public identification of medical professionals cited in the findings has exposed them to hostility, threats and emotional distress.
The Association’s reaction follows a directive by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh ordering the Chief Director of the Health Ministry to commence disciplinary proceedings against health workers implicated in the case after the committee submitted its report.
Speaking on Citi News on Thursday, May 7, GMA President Ernest Yorke described the public disclosure of the names of the doctors as “unfortunate,” arguing that it has sparked widespread backlash against the individuals involved and diverted attention from the broader shortcomings within Ghana’s emergency healthcare system.
According to him, some of the medical personnel mentioned in the report are already facing online abuse, threats and damaging messages, raising concerns about their safety, professional reputations and mental wellbeing.
“Even if they’ve done wrong, there are better ways of handling this without necessarily having to put them out,” he stated.
The Association maintained that while it supports accountability in the health sector, disciplinary and legal processes should be handled in a way that protects professionals from undue public harm until investigations are fully concluded.
The report into the incident reportedly found that the 29-year-old engineer died due to medical negligence rather than injuries sustained from the earlier hit-and-run accident.
Health professionals named in the report and expected to face disciplinary action include Dr Anne-Marie Kudowor, Dr Nina Naomi Eyram Adotevi, Dr Ida Druant and Dr Genevieve Adjar, together with other nursing and regulatory staff cited in the findings.
