The Ministry of Health has condemned an assault on healthcare workers at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), where a viral video captured relatives of an accident victim clashing with emergency department staff over perceived delays in care.

Hospital management described the emergency unit as one of Ghana’s busiest, with staff actively attending to other critical cases when upset relatives forced their way into the triage area, disrupting services and threatening the safety of clinicians.

The confrontation escalated into verbal aggression and resulted in the physical assault of a nurse, prompting hospital authorities to involve the Ghana Police Service to restore order.

In response, the Ministry of Health released a statement condemning the incident and stating that such interference endangers both patients and healthcare professionals, as well as compromises the delivery of essential services.

The press release signed by Deputy Director and Spokesperson Tony Goodman on August 18, indicated that, the Ministry pledged to reinforce security at the hospital and launch an investigation into circumstances, such as delays in care, that may have triggered the confrontation.

The statement emphasised that the safety of healthcare workers remains a top priority and appealed to the public for patience, cooperation, and respect to allow effective and timely patient care.