The General Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Dr David Tenkorang, has described as senseless, a suggestion that the recent violence witnessed at the Emergency Unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) could be a result of a delay in giving care to a patient.

Reacting to a statement by the Ministry of Health during an interview on Asempa FM on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, Dr Tenkorang stated that such a notion could only be formed out of ignorance about healthcare delivery, specifically the assessment of patients to determine their need for treatment or the nature of same.

“The most disgusting and infuriating thing is the second point; the minister should know that there are systems over there. If he doesn’t understand, he should get somebody to educate him on the triage system. It is such that you can’t say because you are the first person to show up, you should be taken care of. When you come, we will triage you and establish if your ailment requires immediate care or delayed care as compared to others.

“After assessing and we establish that your situation requires immediate care, they will attend to you immediately. If it requires that you are placed on standby for others to be cared for, not that they will neglect you, they will give you first aid or whatever, but they will attend to other people who need immediate attention. So, that statement does not make sense to me at all; it doesn’t make sense. Whoever wrote that statement doesn’t even understand the hospital system. Why? Is he a farmer? What kind of life is that?” he fumed.

The reaction by the General Secretary of GRNMA was on the back of an incident at the Ridge Hospital on Monday when an activist, Ralph St. Williams, in the company of some other individuals, allegedly assaulted caregivers for delaying in giving him emergency service.

Pressure on government to arrest Ralph Agyapong over nurse attack

Tony Goodman, a spokesperson for the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, in a statement condemned the incident while announcing some immediate steps to address the issue.

As part of the measures, the ministry announced a security beef-up at the hospital to protect staff and patients.

The ministry further announced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the matter, including the reported delay in care, in order to address anything that contributed to the incident while emphasising the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the safety of health workers and patients.

However, Dr David Tenkorang, in the interview, accused the health minister of assuming a posture contrary to the statement.

“What is even annoying is what the minister did. His statement runs contrary to his posture. You went there, and the same Ralph who had engaged in that act of hooliganism, you went there to embrace him. Look at the pictures on social media,” he stated in reference to the minister’s visit to Ridge on Tuesday following the incident.

Majority condemns assault on health workers at Ridge Hospital

“He affectionately embraced the Ralph guy, somebody who has been fingered as the perpetrator of that heinous crime. He embraced him, and then the guy whispered into his ears, and he was smiling; whether it was a question or whatever, then he was smiling. How did the guy get to know that the minister had come there for him to rush there immediately?” he questioned.

Asked by the host of Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen to exercise restraint in his criticism of the sector minister, Dr Tenkorang accused the Minister of Health of being disrespectful towards nurses.

“I agree with you, but the man does not give respect to nurses. How can you treat nurses like this? It’s the clearest case of disrespect. You go and embrace the very guy, and look, initially he was being defended that he met the person before meeting the management. It’s not true. Look, if you show us respect, we will also show you respect. I mean, what is he trying to show us?” he added.

GA/VPO

Meanwhile, watch the trailer to GhanaWeb’s yet-to-air documentary on teenage girls and how fish is stealing their futures below: