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Ridge Hospital saga: Nurse’s reputation now at stake – Nii Lante Vanderpuye

The National Coordinator of the District Road Improvement Programme (DRIP), Nii Lante Vanderpuye, has criticised the nurse at the centre of the recent Ridge Hospital assault case, following findings by a committee set up to investigate the incident.

Read also: GRNMA raises credibility issues with Ridge assault probe

The committee’s report revealed that, contrary to earlier claims by the nurse and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), there was no shoulder dislocation or fracture as alleged.

Reacting to the outcome on Channel One TV on Thursday, August 28, Mr Vanderpuye said the nurse’s credibility and professional reputation were now at stake.

“In this incident, your whole profession as a health professional is at stake. I wonder how people will see her within the space and which institutions will want to work with her because her head of department is saying something contrary to what she said.”

He further argued that the nurse mishandled the matter by pursuing it personally rather than allowing her institution to take responsibility.

“I think that the lady nurse has also put herself so much into the whole controversy.”

“The first person you will report to is your head of department. In this situation, if she had reported to the head of department and the management, Ridge Hospital as an institution would take up this fight,” he explained.

Mr Vanderpuye also criticised her for taking the matter to the GRNMA instead of her place of work, the Ridge Hospital.

“The association (GRNMA) she belongs to should not be the maiden institution that should be fighting this. You can’t run to your association and leave your main department (Ridge Hospital),” he insisted.

Full report: Ridge assault investigative committee submits findings to health minister

The Ridge Assault Investigative Committee has handed over its report to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh concerning the incident that occurred on 17th August, 2025, at the Emergency Department of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH).

The incident, which involved alleged delays in treating a critically injured patient, escalated into verbal aggression and the assault of a nurse, prompting management to call in the Ghana Police Service to restore order.

The episode drew significant public outrage after video footage of the alleged assault spread rapidly online.

Below are the key findings outlined by the committee:

6 major highlights as Ridge Hospital assault probe exposes staff shortages, faulty equipment, others

The Ministry of Health’s investigative committee has released its findings on the alleged assault incident at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) on August 17, 2025.

The report highlights systemic failings in security, staffing, and infrastructure at the facility’s Emergency Department.

Key Findings:

No Delay in Emergency Care

The committee established that there was no delay in attending to the accident victim who sparked the altercation. However, all imaging equipment, X-ray, CT scan, and MRI, were non-functional, forcing tests to be conducted outside the hospital. This contributed to treatment delays and heightened public frustration.

No Evidence of Physical Assault

While video evidence confirmed a heated verbal altercation between Mr. Ralph St. Williams, some riders, and hospital staff, there was no confirmed video or eyewitness evidence of physical assault. The nurse at the center of the claim, Ms. Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, later reported pain in her hand, but medical records showed no fractures or dislocations. She received pain relief and psychological support.

Inadequate Security

Security at the Emergency Department was described as “grossly inadequate.” Only one private security guard was on duty per 12-hour shift despite the department’s heavy traffic. The hospital’s police post is located far from the Emergency Department, often causing delays in responding to incidents.

Severe Staff Shortages

In August 2025, only one medical officer per shift was stationed at the Emergency Department. A total of just seven medical officers and two specialists were available for the entire month. Out of 88 nursing staff, only 54 were present, with 34 having vacated their posts without replacement.

Emergency Department Overstretched

The hospital’s Emergency Department operates at almost 100% bed occupancy at all times and is the primary destination for trauma and acute medical cases across Greater Accra. The closure of facilities in La has worsened the pressure on Ridge.

Mr. Ralph St. Williams’ Position

Mr. St. Williams denied physically attacking staff. He admitted being provoked by a nurse’s remarks and explained that his video recordings, including Facebook Live footage, were intended to highlight systemic delays and not to target patients.

Recommendations:

The committee proposed urgent reforms, including:

• Increasing security and CCTV coverage at the Emergency Department.
• Recruiting additional doctors, nurses, and administrative officers dedicated to emergency care.
• Restoring critical imaging services (X-ray, CT scan, MRI) at Ridge.
• Nationwide reforms to strengthen emergency care, expand secondary-level hospitals, and improve public education on emergency department operations.

Conclusion:
The committee stressed that unless urgent steps are taken to improve security, staffing, and infrastructure, similar incidents could recur at Ridge and other hospitals nationwide

Ridge Hospital equipment breakdown blamed for treatment delays in assault probe

The committee investigating the recent incident at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) has revealed that none of the hospital’s key diagnostic imaging machines were functional at the time.

This development is said to have caused treatment delays and contributed to public frustration.

The findings, presented to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, noted that the Emergency Department’s X-ray, CT scan, and MRI machines were all out of service when the alleged assault on a nurse occurred on August 17, 2025.

Although the committee confirmed there was no delay in initially attending to the patient with a suspected head injury, it said subsequent referrals outside the facility for imaging severely slowed care.

“The unavailability of diagnostic equipment meant tests had to be conducted outside GARH, leading to delays in treatment and heightening tensions among those present,” the report stated.

The situation at the Emergency Department, already operating at near full capacity daily, has further strained healthcare delivery, as Ridge has become the primary referral point following the closure of the La General Hospital.

As part of its recommendations, the committee urged the Ministry of Health to immediately repair or replace all non-functional imaging equipment at Ridge Hospital, stressing that the lack of basic diagnostic support undermines emergency care and erodes public confidence in the facility.

Meanwhile, the committee also concluded that there is no medical evidence to support claims that Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse at the facility, sustained a shoulder dislocation during the incident.

The nurse had complained about fractures in her wrist and a dislocation in her shoulder joint.

Rejoice Tsotso Bortei subsequently filed a civil lawsuit against social media personality Ralph Saint Williams, seeking GHs7 million in damages for alleged physical assault and defamation linked to the incident.

• Read also: Ridge Hospital nurse sues social media activist Ralph Saint Williams for GH₵7m over assault and defamation

Explaining the findings, the Committee Chairman, Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, revealed that the nurse reported her injuries on August 18, a day after the alleged assault.

But medical assessment, however, revealed “There was no evidence of fracture on her left wrist or dislocation of her right shoulder joint as documented by the medical records.”

The report confirmed that the nurse was treated, provided with pain relief medication, and advised to rest.

She was also placed under psychological support care to aid her recovery.

In her lawsuit, the nurse stated that in the course of treating other patients, she was struck by Mr. Williams with a clenched fist and a metallic cellphone before being attacked by the activist and his alleged followers.

She suffered injuries to her arm, shoulder, waist, and other parts of her body and has since been experiencing chest pains, severe headaches, and trauma, including panic attacks.

Ms. Bortei further accused Mr. Williams of later publishing a live video in which he called her a liar and claimed she had fabricated her injuries to “cover the nonsense going on at the hospital.”

She argues that the comments damaged her reputation as a professional nurse, casting her as untrustworthy and unfit to practice.

Beyond damages, the plaintiff is also seeking a court order compelling Mr. Williams to issue a public retraction and apology, an injunction restraining him from publishing further defamatory statements, and another injunction preventing him from coming within 50 meters of her.

Ridge Hospital staff didn’t delay care, broken equipment caused treatment delays – Committee

The committee investigating the August 17, 2025, incident at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH), popularly known as Ridge Hospital, has concluded that there was no delay in providing initial emergency care to the patient at the centre of a widely publicised confrontation.

The probe, however, uncovered that all major diagnostic imaging equipment, including the X-ray, CT scan, and MRI machines, at the hospital’s Emergency Department was non-functional at the time of the incident, forcing critical tests to be conducted at external facilities and fueling public frustration.

No Delay in Emergency Response

According to the committee’s report presented to Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, medical staff promptly attended to the patient with a suspected head injury upon arrival at the Emergency Department. This directly contradicts claims circulating on social media that alleged neglect by hospital staff led to the altercation.

“Clinical care commenced without delay,” the report stated. “The treatment process was, however, hampered by the unavailability of functioning diagnostic imaging equipment on-site.”

Equipment Failures Blamed for Treatment Delays

The absence of operational X-ray, CT scan, and MRI facilities significantly prolonged the patient’s treatment timeline. The report noted that the patient had to be referred to external facilities for diagnostic services, a common occurrence that has long frustrated patients and caregivers at Ridge Hospital.

The committee said the breakdown of these essential machines undermined public confidence in the facility and contributed to tensions on the day of the incident.

No Proof of Physical Assault

Despite viral videos suggesting a violent confrontation, the committee found no evidence of a physical assault against Ms. Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse who claimed to have been attacked. Video evidence only confirmed a heated verbal exchange involving Mr Ralph St. Williams, a group of riders, and hospital staff.

Ms. Bortei later reported pain in her left hand but medical examinations revealed no fractures or dislocations. She has since received pain relief and psychological support.

Security and Staffing Shortcomings Exposed

Beyond the incident itself, the committee’s findings painted a troubling picture of the hospital’s preparedness for emergencies:

Inadequate Security: Only one private security officer was assigned per 12-hour shift at the Emergency Department, a setup the committee described as “grossly inadequate.” Although there is a police post on the premises, it is far from the ED, resulting in slow response times during disturbances.

Severe Staff Shortages: The Emergency Department operated with just one medical officer per shift in August, supported by only seven medical officers and two specialists for the entire month. Out of 88 nurses expected, only 54 were available, with 34 having vacated their posts without replacements.

Overstretched Facility: The ED operated at nearly full capacity round-the-clock, handling most trauma and acute medical cases in Accra, a situation worsened by the absence of a functioning hospital in La.

Recommendations for Reform

The committee made several recommendations to prevent a recurrence of such incidents, including:

1. Increasing security personnel and deploying police support during peak hours.

2. Expanding CCTV surveillance at the ED for improved monitoring.

3. Recruiting additional medical and administrative staff dedicated to emergency care.

4. Repairing or replacing all non-functional diagnostic equipment.

5. Strengthening emergency care systems nationwide and ensuring adherence to treatment protocols.

Mr. St. Williams Responds

Mr. Ralph St. Williams, the man whose confrontation with hospital staff sparked the incident, denied physically assaulting anyone. In a written statement and video submissions, he claimed his actions were driven by frustrations over systemic delays rather than personal animosity.

He admitted being “provoked by comments made by a nurse” but maintained that his live-streamed videos were intended to expose service delivery gaps.

A Wake-Up Call for the Health Sector

The Health Minister is expected to review the recommendations for immediate action. The committee stressed that while Ridge Hospital’s staff acted professionally during the incident, systemic failings, especially in equipment and staffing, remain a critical threat to emergency care delivery in Ghana.

Below is the full report:

Oti Regional Minister raises alarm over typhoid surge in Dambai, blames lack of hospital

The Oti Regional Minister, Gyampo Kodjo, has described the outbreak of typhoid fever in Dambai, the regional capital, as alarming, citing the absence of a major hospital and poor sanitation as key factors.

“The situation is so bad. As for typhoid in the Oti Region, and especially in Dambai, the capital, it is very, very bad,” Mr. Kodjo lamented.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News with Maame Esi Nyamekye Thompson on Tuesday, August 26, the minister attributed the rising cases to inadequate healthcare facilities and unsanitary conditions along the Oti Lake, which borders the town.

“Unfortunately for us, we don’t have a hospital in Dambai, and that is the major issue. And because of the Oti River, the sanitation in the area looks so bad,” he said.

He added that the problem has affected even him personally:

“We don’t know what it is, whether it is Dambai that is producing the typhoid or whatever, but it is a serious issue, a very, very serious issue. I myself had never suffered from typhoid, but since I became minister and came to Dambai, I have been treated three times already for typhoid.”

His comments follow a report by the Regional Environmental Health Department revealing that over 10,000 cases of typhoid fever have been recorded in the Oti Region since January 2025.

Environmental Health Officer, Cynthia Sekyere, confirmed the figures:

“We have a report from the Oti Regional Health Directorate indicating that a total of 10,233 confirmed cases of typhoid fever were recorded between the first and second quarters of this year.”

The minister has called for urgent intervention to address the region’s healthcare and sanitation challenges to curb the rising infections.

Deadly doses: JoyNews unmasks Ghana’s growing drug epidemic

Ghana is in the grip of a silent epidemic as more young people fall victim to drug addiction, with devastating consequences for their health and future.

At the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi, a young woman, Veronica, is battling addiction after being introduced to cocaine, marijuana, and opioids by her ex-boyfriend.

Health workers say her story is not unique – teenagers as young as 13 are already trapped in the cycle of abuse.

In its latest Hotline Documentary titled Deadly Doses, JoyNews goes beyond the statistics to reveal the human faces of Ghana’s drug crisis.

From the ghettos where narcotics are openly traded to hospital wards where lives hang by a thread, the documentary exposes the scale of the problem and the urgent need for action.

Watch the full documentary below:

Chinese doctor uses Adinkra symbols in orthodox medicine practice

Dr. Zhu Yafei, (a.k.a Dr Luke), a renowned Gynaecologist and a member of the 2025 Chinese Medical Team stationed at LEKMA Hospital, arrived in Ghana with more than just a stethoscope.

He came armed with narrative medicine and the ancient Adinkra symbols of the Akan, determined to turn language barriers into bridges of understanding.

Listening
Guided by the principles of Narrative Medicine—a model that places emphasis on listening to a patient’s story, which is as vital as any scan—Dr. Zhu and his colleagues set aside the comfort of Mandarin and embraced Twi, with the humility of first-year students. Their classroom was every bedside in LEKMA.

Adinkra, medical vocabulary
From the kente patterns on market stalls to the 100-cedi banknote, Adinkra symbols became the new lingua franca.

On July 31, 2025, Dr. Zhu stepped onto the dais of the first 2025 China-Ghana minimally invasive surgery innovation and knowledge summit.

He spoke on the topic “My Reflections on Laparoscopic Minimal-invasive Surgery in Gynaecology.”

Slide by slide, the renowned Gynaecologist narrated how he expertly used the symbols to cure various complex health conditions among patients at the hospital.
Symbols

His first slide made use of SANKOFA, the bird that twists its neck to retrieve the egg. Dr Zhu explained it to mean that one must “learn from the past” or “return and get it.”

The renowned Gynaecologist equally told the audience why he used the SANKOFA symbol and pointed out that “We must revisit every past laparoscopic case—its triumphs and pitfalls—so that tomorrow’s African woman meets a safer theatre.”

By the time he got to the middle part of his presentation, it was clear that his talk had resonated well with his audience.

In the middle of his presentation he introduced another symbol known as
DWENNIMMEN—the ram’s horns that grace both the national currency and the University of Ghana crest.

Here, Dr Zhu cautioned that “Strength—without humility—injures the very people we claim to heal.”

In his concluding remarks the renowned Gynaecologist mentioned another popular symbol known as GYE NYAME meaning “Except God.”

He told his audience that God is the ultimate even in narrative medicine practice, stressing that “Modern medicine is not omnipotent; the laparoscope is only a tool. Reverence for life and for the Divine keeps us humble.”
Loud applause

Apparently the audience who were excited about how Dr Zhu expertly used the symbols to explain medical issues gave him a resounding applause.

Local surgeons later described the lecture as “the first time a foreign physician used PowerPoint to explain medical issues in Twi.”

From lecture hall to labour ward

The symbols followed Dr. Zhu home.

• In dealing with Ectopic pregnancy and pre-operation counselling, Dr Zhu encountered a situation where a teenager refused to disclose previous abortions.

Dr. Zhu then traced SANKOFA on the patient’s file, stressing that “Learning from the past keeps the next pregnancy safe.” The patient eventually poured her story out and surgery proceeded without any further delay.
• Another medical condition Dr Zhu dealt with was Post-partum haemorrhage which refers to excessive bleeding after multiple caesarean sections.

Before discharging the patient, Dr. Zhu returned with the same bird symbol urging the patient to “Let the past teach us.”

The patient accepted long-acting contraception and the agreement was sealed in symbols, not statistics.
• In the area of Emergency theatre, Dr Zhu dealt with a condition known as Placenta Praevia which comes with torrential bleeding.

Dr. Zhu placed a small GYE NYAME sticker on his hand and told the patient who was hesitating that “Time is life.”

“Doctors are vessels of God’s cure and refusing the doctor is refusing the vessel God has sent” the Gynaecologist warned. The patient understood and gave the doctor her consent to go ahead with the operation and eventually mother and child survived.

Notes from the ward
It is worthy to note that some patients had forgotten the glyphs. However none forgot their meaning once they were retold.

Dr. Zhu has begun photographing faded Adinkra symbols on taxi dashboards and market umbrellas, compiling a bilingual handbook so that heritage is never lost in translation.

Symbols explained
• AYA, the fern that grows in rocky soil—resilience for patients in pain and for doctors on 36-hour calls.
• AKOMA NTOSO, four hearts linked—Dr. Zhu pins it to the whiteboard during hand-over: “Our hearts beat in step with the patient’s.”
• BAOFO YE NA, “a willing helper is rare.” He teaches interns that genuine help carries no invoice.

Epilogue

Indeed, Narrative Medicine and Adinkra symbols have done what no scalpel alone could—they have stitched two cultures into one story of care and friendship between China and Ghana.

The Writer, Michael Kalley, is a former Tax Auditor of the Ghana Revenue Authority and a Sociopolitical Analyst. He has published about 100 articles.