The six-member investigative committee set up by Health Minister Kwabena Minta Akandoh to probe the incident at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) involving activists Ralph Saint Williams has rejected claims a nurse allegedly assaulted suffered fractures and shoulder dislocation.
Presenting the findings of an investigative committee in Accra on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the Chairman, Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, said the nurse, Ms Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotational staff member, reported her injury a day after the incident and subsequently received medical attention.
“There was no evidence of fracture on her left wrist or dislocation of her right shoulder joint, as documented by the medical records,” Dr. Ofori-Boadu stated.
He added that she was treated with pain relief, advised to take bed rest, and has since been provided with psychological support.
The committee’s report also rejected claims by Ralph Saint Williams of delay on the part of the hospital in attending to patients at the Emergency Ward.
The committee’s report also highlighted systemic challenges at the hospital’s emergency unit. It observed that security presence was “grossly inadequate”, with only one private security officer deployed per 12-hour shift despite the heavy human traffic.
Dr. Ofori-Boadu further noted that a police post located far from the emergency unit limited timely responses to incidents.
The report also revealed staffing shortages. In August, the emergency unit operated with only one medical officer per shift, supported by a single specialist each day. In total, seven doctors and two specialists were permanently on duty during the month. Of the 88 nurses assigned to the department, only 54 were at post, while 34 had exited for various reasons.
The committee recommended strengthening security at the emergency unit, recruiting more clinical and customer care staff, repairing faulty diagnostic equipment such as X-ray, CT scan and MRI machines, and expanding secondary-level hospitals in the region to ease pressure on Ridge Hospital.
The report emphasized that addressing security, staffing and equipment challenges was vital to preventing future incidents and maintaining public confidence in emergency healthcare delivery.
