Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called for patience, compassion, and restraint as concerns continue to emerge following the El-Wak Stadium stampede during the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) recruitment exercise.
Her comments on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem came in response to a concern raised by a mother, Abena Fosuah, who alleged that a nurse at the 37 Military Hospital asked her and her injured daughter to leave the facility late Thursday night, despite their long journey from Kasoa Ofaakor.
According to Abena, it took the intervention of a doctor before they were allowed to remain at the hospital for the night.
Reacting to the issue, the Minister said she had not yet heard the full account from both parties and would need more information before drawing conclusions.
“I haven’t listened to the other side and I don’t have enough facts to counter or otherwise,” she said.
She noted that since the mother herself acknowledged that some of the health workers were doing well, the public must avoid generalizing the actions of a few.
“But since she has confirmed that some of the health workers are doing well, we must not be quick to generalize,” she added.
The Minister encouraged the mother to return to the hospital if her daughter experiences any additional complications and assured that she would personally follow up with the facility’s management.
“If she returns and there is any further issue, the mother must reach out. I will also engage the leadership of the hospital to relay the concerns of some parents so we can handle things better,” she stated.
Madam Lartey stressed that the incident was an unfortunate accident, urging families, health workers, and the public to approach the situation with empathy.
“Because we all didn’t expect this. It was an accident that happened, and we must be compassionate towards one another. We are all humans, and in dealing with such situations, we must exercise restraint,” she said.
She also highlighted standard hospital procedures during patient discharge.
“I know that before someone is discharged, the time and everything is communicated to the family. So I don’t know what happened with this case,” she noted.
The Minister assured that her ministry will continue to monitor the situation and work with relevant authorities to improve care, communication, and support for all victims of the recruitment stampede.