Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has given a one-week deadline to a newly formed committee investigating the recent assault on nurses and medical staff at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge).
The directive comes in response to a viral video that captured a violent confrontation between relatives of a patient and health professionals at the hospital’s emergency ward. The incident has sparked public outrage and raised concerns about the safety and protection of frontline health workers.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) on Tuesday, August 19, the Minister stressed the government’s determination to get to the bottom of the matter.
“I visited the hospital yesterday and interacted with the affected health workers. They were visibly demoralised, so I assured them that the government is fully committed to ensuring justice. We have therefore set up a committee with a mandate to complete its investigation within a week, after which the law will take its course,” Akandoh stated.
The Minister added that his visit was not only to reassure the staff but also to encourage them to return to duty while investigations continue.
Meanwhile, discussions with the GIZ focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key health areas, including infrastructure development, upgrading healthcare systems, and enhancing the capacity of regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).
The government has reaffirmed its stance that violence against health workers will not be tolerated and promised that the outcome of the investigation will guide future measures to safeguard hospital staff nationwide.
