Tony Goodman, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and a member of the investigative committee, has dismissed claims questioning the credibility of the committee’s report on the Ridge Hospital assault incident.
Goodman responded to criticisms by Jefferson Asare, Greater Accra Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), who alleged that the report overlooked key medical evidence.
“That is not correct. We have spoken with everybody, including the doctor who saw the lady. He is a specialist, and this committee’s work cannot be rubbished,” Goodman said on Channel One TV’s Point of View.
The investigative committee’s final report, presented to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, concluded that while no physical assault occurred, there was a verbal altercation between Mr. Ralph St. Williams, the man at the center of the incident, and hospital staff.
Regarding the alleged injuries of Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse involved in the incident, the report indicated that medical records found no fractures or dislocations. She was, however, treated with pain medication and given psychological support.
Jefferson Asare, however, contested this conclusion, insisting that the attending physician diagnosed polycontusion, a condition involving multiple bruises, swelling, and redness. He argued that excluding the doctor from the interview process undermined the integrity of the report.
In response, Tony Goodman stressed that the committee’s work was comprehensive and focused on improving healthcare systems rather than assigning blame.
“This is an extensive work that has been done. We are not looking at who is at fault… We are looking at how best we can strengthen our system,” he emphasized.
