Fresh doubts are being cast over the Health Ministry’s report on the alleged assault of a nurse at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge), after revelations that the doctor who first treated the victim was never invited to testify.
The investigative committee, chaired by Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu, had concluded that no medical evidence supported claims of a fracture or dislocation. Their findings were largely based on medical records showing the nurse reported her injuries a day later and was diagnosed without any fractures or shoulder dislocation.
However, according to the Greater Accra Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Jefferson Asare, the exclusion of the examining doctor casts serious doubt on the credibility of the probe.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s The Point of View, Mr. Asare said: “The very medical officer who examined Rejoice Tsotso Bortei on the morning after the incident was not interviewed by the committee. That doctor’s report exists, his name is on record, and yet his testimony was ignored.”
Mr. Asare stressed that the original diagnosis was not the victim’s personal claim but that of a senior medical officer at Ridge Hospital, who confirmed the nurse had suffered multiple bruises, swelling, and pain—medically termed “poly contusion.”
“What sense does it make to interview a head of department who never examined the victim, while leaving out the doctor who actually did?” he queried.
The GRNMA leader argued that the committee’s selective interviews undermined the integrity of the investigation and raised concerns of bias. He insisted that any credible probe must give weight to the firsthand assessment of the medical professional who treated the alleged victim.
The controversy has renewed calls for transparency and accountability in the handling of medical investigations involving health workers, with many demanding that the Ministry reopen the case to address what critics call “glaring gaps” in the process.
