By Savannah Pokuaah Duah
The Ministry of Health has condemned an incident at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department where health professionals were attacked by relatives of an accident victim.
The incident, captured in a viral social media video, reportedly involved delays in treating a critically injured patient, which escalated into verbal aggression and the assault of a nurse. Management had to call in the Ghana Police Service to restore order.
In a statement signed by Deputy Director and spokesperson Tony Goodman, the Ministry said it views the development with utmost seriousness, stressing that such actions compromise the delivery of critical healthcare services and endanger the lives of both patients and healthcare providers.
The Ministry is taking immediate steps to beef up security at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital to ensure the safety of staff, patients and the public. It will also investigate the circumstances that led to the reported delay in care and address any gaps that may have contributed to the incident.
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has visited the hospital and assured management and staff of the Ministry’s support and protection.
The Ministry reiterated that the safety and protection of healthcare workers remain a top priority and that it will not tolerate any acts that threaten their well-being or disrupt essential healthcare delivery.
It further called on the public to exercise patience, cooperation, and mutual respect at all times to enable healthcare workers to provide effective and timely care.
