Ridge Hospital condemns staff assault amid emergency ward confrontation

The Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital) has issued a stern response to a viral social media video showing a confrontation between its emergency ward staff and a group including a popular social media activist. The incident, which involved alleged delays in treating a critically injured patient, escalated into verbal aggression and the assault of a nurse, prompting hospital management to call in the Ghana Police Service to restore order.

In an official statement signed by Head of Public Relations Juliana Hariwa, the hospital acknowledged the incident occurred when clinicians were managing multiple emergencies. 

Relatives and friends of the accident victims reportedly “invaded the emergency triage,” causing disruptions that temporarily halted services. “Their overwhelming presence disrupted the smooth delivery of care, caused unnecessary tension, and even threatened the safety of our clinicians,” the statement read. It further condemned the assault on staff as “unacceptable,” emphasising that such actions “put lives at risk.”

The hospital reiterated its commitment to “quality and timely healthcare” but urged the public to refrain from filming in clinical areas without consent, citing privacy breaches. While the statement did not directly address the activist’s allegations of negligence, it called for “cooperation and mutual respect” to ensure a safe environment for both patients and medical personnel.

The incident has sparked debate over patient rights versus staff safety in Ghana’s overburdened public health system. Ridge Hospital handles among the highest emergency cases nationally, with its triage system prioritising life-threatening conditions.