He broke down in tears when I removed my face mask at his bedside at the University of Ghana Medical Centre. It was Monday at 11:30 am.
The mask was part of the visitor’s gear at the emergency ward. The young man had been referred by the Swedru Government Hospital for further medical attention at the UGMC.
His name: Haruna Rasheed Osman, the Nasara Coordinator for the New Patriotic Party, Agona West. Why the tears? Apparently overwhelmed seeing Prof at his bedside as he reeled in pain; he had earlier been visited by Chris Arthur, the NPP Parliamentary candidate. ‘We are with you, you are not alone,’ I told him carefully, holding his right hand, the last two fingers wrapped in a blood
soaked bandage.
Rasheed was a victim in the bloody clash between two factions of Agona West NPP Sunday night, commonly coded as Cynthia Morrison versus Chris Arthur.
Gunshots had been fired by an unknown assailant within a convoy of party supporters advancing from a nearby village, he said. Like a dream, he suddenly realised two of his fingers had been badly hit, almost mangled; and a hail of pellets lodged on the left side of his body frame. He sobbed uncontrollably, narrating the incident: ‘If I had died, I would have died for nothing’.
‘No Rasheed, don’t cry. Your party and Agonaman are solidly behind you, and your doctors say you will recover soon. A nurse came around, adjusted his drip, and asked a few questions common with
preparations for surgery.
Thereafter came a bigger medical team to be briefed by the doctor on duty.
Rasheed was virtually on his way to surgery.
Pray for Rasheed.
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