Authorities at the Manhyia Polyclinic in Kumasi have condemned the attack on the hospital staff by relatives of patients as it liaises with police to prevent further attacks. Officials warned any further attacks on personnel would be reported to the police for redress as management introduces measures to avert assault on staff.

The warning follow attacks on security officers and a nurse by relatives of a patient who insisted visiting their sick family member after official visiting hours.

The Hospital Administrator, Samuel Dodzi has condemned the attack.

“The attack was made for no apparent reason because these guys [relatives] came at the wrong time when the doctor was doing ward rounds so they were trying to force to enter. And the security men took their time to explain to them that it wasn’t the right time to visit their relative but they got furious and started beating them up”

According to him, though similar attacks on staff have gone unreported in the past, any further attacks would be reported henceforth.

“This is not the first time. It has been recurring so when it occurred this time around, we decided to hand them over to the police.”

Instances of relatives trooping to the wards to visit sick family members are one of the challenges facing healthcare delivery at the Manhyia Government Hospital.

“We have the visiting hours written boldly at the entrances of the wards and our sign boards. People always try to troop in at the wrong hours and when we try to explain to them, they get furious and start insulting us and sometimes attacking us”.

That notwithstanding, Mr. Dodzi says security has been beefed up with security personnel trained to withstand the pressure whilst the hospital increase its public education drive to sensitize the people on the operations of the hospital.

“We have strengthened our security system in the hospital. We’ve given them enough training at the hospital and apart from that; we’ve been educating our clients at the waiting areas. We even go on air to tell them about our operations and tell them of the visiting hours. I don’t know if it is because of the community in which we live in. They always come at their own time.” Mr. Dodzi has said.