The Adabraka Atukpai Mantse, Nii Tetteh Adjabeng II, has urged patients and health workers across the country to embrace empathy and understanding in order to improve healthcare delivery.
His advice comes after a viral video showed a violent altercation between some relatives of a patient and medical staff at the Greater Accra Regional hospital’s emergency department.
Nii Tetteh Adjabeng II, custodian of the land on which the hospital is built, urged both patients and medical staff to exercise restraint and show mutual respect, especially in emergency situations.
Speaking at the climax of the annual Homowo festival in Adabraka on Saturday, August 23, the Chief acknowledged frustrations over delays in medical care but stressed that attacks on health professionals cannot be tolerated.
“An empathetic and listening approach can help heal patients seeking care while also enhancing the hospital’s reputation. I will therefore plead with the management of Ridge Hospital to do their best. At the same time, those seeking healthcare should also approach the hospital with understanding,” he said.
The Adabraka Atukpai Manye, Naa Ko Adzieyoyi I, who also works at the Adabraka Polyclinic, appealed to authorities to accelerate development projects in the community to support local livelihoods.
“We experience flooding all over when it rains, and our market women start crying. There is a big problem in our market. I beg the assemblies at Adabraka to listen to them so that development can prevail,” she appealed.
Meanwhile, one of the victims, nurse Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, has filed a GHS 7 million civil suit against social media personality Ralph Saint Williams, popularly known as Ralph De Fellow Ghanaian, alleging physical assault and defamation in connection with the incident.