Ridge Hospital assault: Nurse suffered no fracture or shoulder dislocation – Probe Committee
The committee set up by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, to investigate the assault at Ridge Hospital has found no medical evidence to support claims that Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse at the facility, suffered a shoulder dislocation during the incident.
Presenting its report to the Health Minister on Wednesday, August 27, Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, the Chairman of the Committee, noted that the alleged victim reported her injuries a day after the assault on August 18.
However, medical records showed no signs of a fracture in her left wrist or a dislocation in her right shoulder joint.
According to the report, the nurse was treated, given pain relief medication, and advised to go on bed rest. She was also placed under psychological support care following the ordeal.
“Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, who is a rotation nurse, reported her injury to the hospital a day after the incident on the 18th of August and was further treated. There was no evidence of fracture on her left wrist or dislocation of her right shoulder joint as documented by the medical records.
“She has, however, been treated and given pain relief, recommended for bed rest, and received psychological support care,” the committee stated.
The findings directly contradict claims by the nurse that the assault left her with a dislocation. The clarification follows a viral video of the incident, which showed relatives of a patient clashing with staff at Ridge Hospital’s emergency department, sparking widespread concern about the safety of health workers.
In response to the uproar, Mintah Akandoh directed the formation of the committee to investigate the matter, which has drawn sharp condemnation from professional bodies and the public.
Meanwhile, Rejoice Tsotso Bortei has filed a civil lawsuit against social media personality Ralph Saint Williams, popularly known as “Ralph De Fellow Ghanaian.” She is seeking GHS 7 million in damages for alleged physical assault and defamation linked to the incident.
