GhArticles.com Every News in Detail
Police have initiated an investigation into an alleged assault on Suhum Government Hospital staff by relatives of a deceased miner. The altercation occurred in the hospital’s emergency ward on Wednesday, June 26, where some health professionals were reportedly attacked and sliding windows damaged.
Sources revealed that the deceased, a 29-year-old miner, was involved in an accident near the Top Oil fuel station in Suhum, Eastern region, while traveling from Accra to Anyinam. He was taken to Suhum Hospital for treatment but passed away while under medical care.
The family of the deceased accused the hospital staff of negligence and failing to refer him to the Eastern Regional Hospital for advanced treatment. They contacted friends of the deceased, who then stormed the hospital and physically assaulted the nurses on duty.
The timely intervention of police officers from the district command prevented further escalation and restored order.
“I was at the barbering salon when I had a call that our friend had gotten an accident so I went with the barber. When we got there, they were about to send him to the X-ray department. He could even talk and was very happy when he saw me. We were even communicating while taking the scan.
“So after the X-ray, the nurse in charge called us that the situation was serious and all his thighs were broken. He referred us to someone in Kumasi who could help him.”
“They sent him to emergency and asked me to get a card for him before they could give him medication. When I went for the card, there was a network issue so I had to wait. They later gave him the medication while I waited to get the card.
“The person I went with called me that they had put oxygen on him because he could barely breathe. They told me they would refer him so they called the ambulance. His father and brother came and I went to the police station with his brother. We were at the police station when we had a call that the guy had passed on,” a family member explained to the media.
The incident has reportedly left hospital staff traumatized. A security personnel at the hospital recounted the event, stating that the deceased’s friends and family attacked staff indiscriminately.
“When I came on duty, they said he was injured so I went to even check up on him and he was already dead. So they called the mortuary man while his people were here mourning. Immediately I saw a pick-up car and two gentlemen got down.
“One started addressing the journalist and one also entered the hospital. The family entered the hospital and started attacking the nurses while destroying items. It took the intervention of the reinforcement team to address the situation.”
Channel One News understands that the incident has left a lasting impact on the hospital staff, who are now dealing with the trauma of the attack.
