A committee established by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to investigate the alleged assault on a rotation nurse at Ridge Hospital has concluded that there is no medical evidence supporting claims of a shoulder dislocation.
Presenting its findings on Wednesday, August 27, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, stated that Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, the nurse involved in the incident, reported her injuries a day after the altercation, which took place on August 18.
Medical records reviewed by the committee indicated that she did not sustain a fracture in her left wrist or a dislocation of her right shoulder joint, as initially claimed.
“Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, who is a rotation nurse, reported her injury to the hospital a day after the incident and was treated accordingly. Medical records do not indicate a fracture or dislocation,” the report noted.
According to the committee, the nurse was given pain relief medication, advised to take bed rest, and placed under psychological support to help her cope with the aftermath of the incident.
The findings challenge initial reports suggesting more severe physical injuries, following a viral video that showed a confrontation between relatives of a patient and staff at Ridge Hospital’s emergency department. The footage sparked widespread concern over the safety of healthcare workers.
In response to the public outcry, Minister Akandoh commissioned the investigative committee, amid strong condemnation from health professional bodies and civil society.
Meanwhile, Rejoice Tsotso Bortei has initiated a civil lawsuit against social media personality Ralph Saint Williams, also known as “Ralph De Fellow Ghanaian”. She is seeking GHS 7 million in damages for alleged physical assault and defamation related to the incident.
