The Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Health, Tony Goodman, has defended Health Minister Kwabena Akandoh over criticisms that he warmly shook hands with the alleged perpetrator of an assault on a nurse at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, popularly known as Ridge Hospital.
The backlash followed a viral video in which relatives of an accident victim clashed with emergency staff over alleged delays in treatment.
The confrontation escalated into an alleged physical assault of a nurse by social media activist Ralph St William, forcing hospital authorities to call in the police.
In the aftermath, the Health Minister visited the hospital, assuring management that those involved would face justice while pledging enhanced security measures at the facility.
However, public criticism mounted when footage surfaced of the minister shaking hands and chatting briefly with Ralph St William.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Tony Goodman urged Ghanaians to look at the minister’s actions in their entirety rather than focusing solely on the handshake.
“If we pick bits and pieces of the fact and put it as though shaking somebody in the hospital is all there is to this matter, or it is all that the minister has done, it is not fair,” Goodman said.
He explained that the minister, upon arrival at Ridge Hospital, directed management to ensure medical care for affected staff, engaged the Greater Accra Regional Police Command, and emphasised the need for additional security.
Akandoh, he said, also instructed that those responsible for the assault be arrested and prosecuted. Except that Ralph St William had absconded before the police could get to him.
“On his way, a gentleman came. We cannot say that he knew him. He was later informed by the hospital management that the said gentleman was the perpetrator. The police arrived, and the guy fled; his accomplice was arrested. The minister’s words were clear—‘get the guy arrested,’” Goodman clarified.
He added that the minister had already condemned the attack publicly and ensured that investigations were underway, insisting that these steps demonstrated leadership and a commitment to justice.
“I am sure we should commend the minister for this, not chastise him for a handshake,” Goodman concluded.
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