Ridge Assault Committee Submits Report to Health Minister
Following the August 17th event in the emergency department of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, the Ridge Assault Investigative Committee has finally given its findings to Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Health Minister.
After videos of an alleged attack went viral online, the case garnered a lot of public attention. The committee’s findings, however, presents a more nuanced picture.
First, the good news: despite popular belief, the patient with a suspected head injury received medical care without delay. However, the committee did discover that the Emergency Department’s three main diagnostic machines—the MRI, CT scan, and X-ray—were not operating at the time. The need to conduct tests outside of the hospital caused delays and annoyances, which inflamed the altercation.
The committee claims that there is no proof of a physical assault in the purported incident. Only tense verbal encounters between Ralph St. Williams, a few riders, and hospital employees were shown on the examined tapes. Ms. Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, the nurse who reported being assaulted, later complained of hand pain, but medical records showed that she had no fractures and just mild pain, for which she was treated and counseled.
According to the study, security was dreadfully insufficient. There was no easy way to get to the police post on the hospital grounds, and there was only one private guard on duty for every 12-hour shift. Scarcely half of the nursing staff was available at the Emergency Department, and there was only one medical officer every shift, which was concerning.
Ralph St. Williams, the central figure in the debate, denied hurting anyone. He admitted that he was outraged by a nurse’s comments, but he insisted that his live broadcast was meant to spotlight employees rather than delays. He later submitted a written declaration and video footage through his lawyer.
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