Ridge Hospital Saga: There was no physical assault, I dare Ridge Hospital to produce CCTV evidence – Ralph tells it all
Development Activist Raphael William Afful “Ralph,” has set the record straight on allegations of his involvement in what has been described as an assault on healthcare workers at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge) on Sunday, August 17.
According to him, these allegations are purely fabricated and cooked up stories that do not accurately capture what happened during the encounter at the hospital.
During a phone-in session on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on Wednesday, August 20, Ralph narrated the incidents that led up to the confrontation with health workers on the said date. He explained that as part of his activism, he was invited by a ‘Bike Life’ advocacy organization to be a part of its advocacy against substance abuse among the youth.
Ralph further highlighted that as part of the preparations for a program scheduled for September 19, at the Independence Square, some motor bikes were organized for a rehearsal on Sunday at the program venue but two separate accidents — one involving himself— saw them at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital.
“When we got to Tesano Police Station was when one of the Okada riders raised the front tyre and crashed into almost 6 bikes which my own was involved as well, and I realized that I was hurt and couldn’t use my bike anymore, so one of the guys jumped on the bike and rode us to the hospital, but remember, we were already going to the hospital to see the first guy who was involved in the first accident,” he said.
According to him, upon arriving at Ridge, checks confirmed that the first accident victim was admitted but not being attended to, because according to the nurses on duty, he had not yet requested a card from the hospital’s OPD, demanding that they provide a gauze for the victim to be taken care of.
“when I asked why we had to by a gauze before the guy will be taken care of, the nurse responded that we come here to give them pressure when we are asked to by something but cannot speak up when our corrupt leaders steal our money, that was when I requested my phone and started recording, mind you this was not a live video,” he added “although I was hurt, I was also not being attended to.”
Ralph further explained that after about 3 hours of not receiving attention for himself and the first accident victim, members of the biker group started agitating but at no point was there a physical assault.
“At no point did anybody physically assault any nurse, maybe verbally, that I would admit to, but at no point did anybody physically assault anyone…who assaulted whom, and at what point? I dare the Ghana Medical Council and the Ridge Hospital to bring the CCTV footage in the hospital,” he stated emphatically.
The Development Activist also clarified he later reported the whole incident to the Ministry of Health, and challenged that he will face all consequences if the management of the hospital is able to provide evidence of a physical assault on any of its staff.
On other allegations of threatening to go after the health workers on duty in their various homes in the event of the first accident victim’s death, Ralph clarified that there was no threat of violence but a warning that the relevant authorities will be involved in the event of a negative outcome.
“Most times things happen and people escape the consequences, so I showed all their faces so that we will know all those who were on duty,” he said, adding that the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association the relevant bodies do not want to take responsibility for their negligence, hence the calls for his arrest.
About The Author
