Professor Ransford Gyampo, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana and CEO of the Ghana Shippers Authority, has cautioned healthcare professionals against being insensitive to patients’ needs. He warned that a lack of compassion in hospitals could fuel negative public reactions toward medical staff.

Speaking on The Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, August 30, Prof. Gyampo stressed:

“We need to caution our medical officers against being callous and insensitive to the plight of patients, else people will begin to act in a negative manner against medical staff.”

His remarks followed the release of findings from the Ridge Hospital (Greater Accra Regional Hospital) assault investigation, which reviewed an incident that sparked widespread public outcry after a video of the altercation went viral.

Key Findings of the Ridge Hospital Assault Investigation

The Ridge Assault Investigative Committee presented its report to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh. The major findings are summarized below:

1. No Delay in Emergency Care

The committee found that the patient with a suspected head injury was attended to promptly. However, non-functional diagnostic equipment (X-ray, CT scan, MRI) forced the hospital to rely on external facilities, leading to delays and public frustration.

2. No Confirmed Physical Assault, But Verbal Altercation Occurred

Video evidence revealed a heated verbal exchange between Mr. Ralph St. Williams, some riders, and hospital staff. However, no conclusive evidence of a physical attack was found.

The alleged victim, Ms. Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse, later complained of pain in her left hand but medical records confirmed no fractures. She was treated with pain relief and psychological support.

3. Inadequate Security at the Emergency Department

Security presence was found to be grossly inadequate, with only one private security officer per 12-hour shift. The police post on the hospital premises is far from the Emergency Department, resulting in slow response times.

4. Severe Shortages of Medical Staff

The report highlighted critical staffing shortages:

• Only one medical officer per shift in the Emergency Department.
• Seven medical officers and two specialists serving the entire department for the month of August.
• 88 nursing staff expected, but only 54 were present, with 34 having abandoned their posts without replacements.

This has left the Emergency Department overstretched, operating at nearly 100% bed occupancy, and burdened by the lack of a functioning hospital in La, which has diverted more patients to GARH.

Ralph St. Williams’ Response

Mr. Ralph St. Williams, who was accused of leading the assault, denied physically attacking any staff. Instead, he:

• Admitted to being provoked by a nurse’s comments.
• Said his video recordings were intended to highlight delays in care, not to attack medical workers.
• Submitted Facebook Live footage and four video exhibits as evidence.

Committee Recommendations

To address the challenges exposed by the incident, the committee recommended the following:

Strengthening Security

• Increase the number of security officers at the Emergency and Ambulance units.
• Ensure the Emergency Department gate is always manned.
• Expand CCTV coverage for better monitoring.
• Deploy police officers during weekends and night shifts to support private security.

Staffing Improvements

• Recruit more clinical staff dedicated to emergency care.
• Hire additional administrative managers as client service officers.

Diagnostic Equipment

• Repair or replace broken diagnostic machines (X-ray, CT, MRI) to prevent delays in patient care.

Nationwide Health System Strengthening

• Expand secondary-level health facilities across all regions.
• Support hospitals to acquire affordable diagnostic equipment.
• Build human resource capacity for emergency care nationwide.
• Improve public education on emergency services.
• Enforce strict compliance with emergency care protocols among health professionals.

Conclusion

The Ridge Hospital assault report underscores the urgent need to improve healthcare delivery, security, and staffing in Ghana’s health facilities. Professor Ransford Gyampo’s call for sensitivity among medical staff highlights the importance of restoring public trust in healthcare.

As the Ministry of Health considers the committee’s recommendations, attention now turns to whether immediate reforms will be implemented to address Ghana’s emergency healthcare challenges.