Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has confirmed that arrests have been made following the recent assault on nurses and other healthcare professionals at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge).
According to him, the matter is now under police investigation and urged the public to allow law enforcement to carry out its duties without interference.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen program, he said “I can tell you that some arrests have been made. Anybody who says otherwise is not speaking the truth and is not ready to help solve the issue.”
In response to questions about Ralph Saint Williams , the man alleged to have led the attack captured in a viral video , the Minister refrained from providing specifics, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
“We should leave the police to do their job. I won’t sit down for things to go wayward in my sector. No one is above the laws of this country,” he affirmed.
The incident, which involved relatives of a patient physically attacking medical personnel in the hospital’s emergency department, has sparked widespread outrage and raised serious concerns about the safety of frontline health workers.
The Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has since issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the police to apprehend Ralph Saint Williams and his accomplices, warning that failure to do so could result in further action by the union.
To further address the issue, the Health Minister announced the formation of a five-member investigative committee. The team, inaugurated during his visit to the hospital on Monday, includes a lawyer, an auditor, a human resource officer, a medical doctor, and a nurse.
Mr. Akandoh explained that the committee will focus on the administrative side of the incident, while the police pursue the criminal aspects.
“These are the two angles we will be working from, so the law will take its own course,” he said.
He assured Ghanaians that the government is fully engaged with the matter and that continuous updates are being received from hospital authorities.
“The system is running, and as we speak, I’m getting updates. We are on course,” the Minister concluded.
The outcome of the investigation is expected to inform stronger hospital protocols and reinforce safety measures to protect healthcare professionals across the country.
