The Chairman of the Greater Accra Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Jefferson Asare, has expressed disappointment with the findings of the committee set up by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to investigate the alleged assault of a nurse at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital).
The committee, chaired by Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, submitted its report on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. It concluded that there was no medical evidence to support claims that Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse at the facility, suffered a fracture in her wrist or a dislocation in her shoulder during the incident on August 18.
According to the report, the nurse reported her injuries a day after the altercation. Medical examinations revealed no signs of fracture or dislocation, though she was given pain relief medication, advised to rest, and placed under psychological support care.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, August 30, 2025, Mr. Asare insisted that the committee failed to properly address the core matter of assault.
“If they were to go and investigate assault, I know a legal person was on the committee. What is an assault, and what are the elements of the same? The intention to cause fear or harm, the act of what you do that causes fear or harm, and the menace of the threat or the harm. These are the elements which I expected the legal brain of the committee to know,” he argued.
Mr. Asare stressed that assault does not necessarily require visible physical injuries. “You do not need anyone to break his or her wrist before you establish an assault. At no point in anybody’s discussion did anybody say there was a fracture,” he stated.
He further claimed that the medical director of Ridge Hospital had confirmed a dislocation during the period of the incident and questioned why the committee failed to consult him directly.
“I was disappointed that the committee didn’t find time to investigate the doctor who saw the lady the following morning,” Mr. Asare said.
The Ridge Hospital incident, involving social media activist Ralph St. William, has ignited nationwide debate about the safety and protection of health workers, as well as accountability in cases of patient-staff altercations.
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