Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Jefferson Asare, has disputed aspects of the ministerial committee’s report on the Ridge Hospital assault, stressing that the victim was medically diagnosed with polycontusion.
The committee, set up by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, concluded on Wednesday, August 27, that there was no medical evidence to support claims that Rejoice Tsotso Bortei, a rotation nurse at Ridge, suffered a shoulder dislocation during the August 18 assault.
Presenting its findings, committee chairman Dr. Lawrence Ofori-Boadu said medical records showed no fracture or shoulder dislocation, though the nurse was treated with pain relief medication, advised to go on bed rest, and placed under psychological support care.
But reacting on Channel One TV’s Point of View, Mr Asare emphasised that the official medical diagnosis was polycontusion, which refers to multiple bruises with redness, swelling, and pain at the site of impact.
“The diagnosis of the lady at the time was polycontusion. When we say polycontusion what do we mean? It simply means that there is redness, there is swelling, there is pain at the site of the hit. That is when you diagnose somebody of polycontusion,” he explained.
He questioned whether the committee’s report was indirectly casting doubt on the competence of the doctor who made the initial assessment.
“So do they want to tell us that the doctor who did the diagnosis doesn’t know what he or she is doing? Is that what the committee wants to tell us?” he queried.
Mr Asare maintained that the findings should not dismiss the reality of the assault or undermine the credibility of the medical professionals who attended to the victim.
Read also…..
Ridge Hospital assault: Nurse suffered no fracture or shoulder dislocation – Probe Committee
