CDS AFRICA CONDEMNS RECENT ATTACKS ON HEALTHCARE WORKERS OF THE GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL HOSPITAL (RIDGE)

The Ministry of Health has condemned the recent attack on staff at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), stressing that such aggression endangers both healthcare workers and patients. The directive follows the circulation of a viral video, filmed on the evening of Sunday, 17th August 2025, by Ralph, a social activist, showing relatives of an accident victim clashing with emergency department staff over perceived delays in care delivery.

The emergency unit is described as one of Ghana’s busiest by hospital management, with clinicians attending to several critical cases when relatives forced their way into the triage area. The intrusion disrupted services, created chaos, and endangered the safety of staff and patients alike. Verbal aggression quickly escalated into the physical assault of a nurse, forcing hospital authorities to call in the Ghana Police Service to restore order.

The incident has sparked widespread concern over the safety of health workers, who already serve under difficult conditions, as it allegedly triggered a later attack on staff by unknown assailants — endangering frontline professionals, deepening public mistrust, and compromising the safety of patients who rely on uninterrupted care.

In response, the Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, reassured staff of the government’s commitment to their safety and announced the formation of a committee to investigate both the assault and allegations of negligence, with findings expected within a week.

This pattern of disruption is not new. Only months ago, Ralph was one of the leaders of a demonstration against illegal mining that blocked the main road to the 37 Military Hospital. The blockade delayed ambulances and emergency services, inconvenienced road users, and endangered lives. Despite the clear public safety risk, order was not restored, and no consequences followed. That lack of accountability has emboldened further acts of disorder, culminating in the Ridge incident.

Such behavior underscores the urgent need for accountability. When those who incite violence face no consequences, the safety of Ghanaians is put at risk, and essential services are undermined. Protecting healthcare workers is not only about personal security but also about safeguarding the resilience of the entire health system. This requires the combined efforts of law enforcement agencies, hospital authorities, and the public to ensure hospitals remain safe spaces where order prevails and lives can be saved without fear of violence.

While the Ministry’s steps increased security, investigations, and staff reassurances are welcome, they will only succeed if matched by firm and consistent enforcement. Violence and lawlessness in health facilities must not be normalized. Hospitals should remain spaces of trust, professionalism, and safety, where patients receive care without disruption and providers work without fear.

In a commendable response, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and the Ghana Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) have both condemned the assault, urging the arrest of the perpetrator(s), the strengthening of security, and the provision of comprehensive support for affected staff to safeguard healthcare workers against recurring acts of impunity and lawlessness.

Ghana’s healthcare system already operates under immense strain. Aggression toward health workers only worsens this burden, delays critical treatment, and erodes public confidence in institutions meant to safeguard lives. The Ridge Hospital attack must not pass without consequence, as it also breached the personal liberty of patients who did not consent to being filmed. Article 14 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana guarantees the protection of personal liberty; hence, recording the incident, especially at a hospital without consent, is a clear invasion of privacy.

Actions as such vilify health workers, fuel hostility, heighten the risk of violence, and erode trust in the healthcare system. Unless there is accountability for both physical assaults and the acts that incite them, the safety of healthcare providers and the quality of care received by patients will remain dangerously compromised.