Patient commits suicide in UBTH

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

A patient has committed suicide at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.
The incident occurred at the Accident and Emergency (A & E) Ward of the hospital on Saturday night.
It was alleged that the victim took his own life while awaiting a doctor.
The victim (name withheld) allegedly stabbed himself to death with a broken luvre beside his bed while awaiting doctor’s attention.
The wife of the patient was away to get an article at a nearby shop within the hospital premises when the tragedy occurred.
The development triggered a spontaneous protest by helpless patients at the ward.
A witness who was also admitted in the ward on Saturday night, said: “he came in to the hospital with his wife.
The witness who preferred anonymity, explained that, “I do not know what the doctor told him (the patient).
“The man suddenly became wild and broke a luvre beside his window and stabbed himself to death”, he said.
“His wife was not around. She went out to buy something outside. There was blood everywhere”, he said, “we were lucky not to have been injured.
The dead body of the man who was accompanied by his wife to the hospital, have been kept in the morgue.
Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the University, Mr Joshua Uwaila, described the incident as unfortunate.
But, he said: “ a young man who was a patient at the male medical ward of our hospital (diagnosis not disclosed for confidentiality sake), suddenly broke a louvre and stabbed himself.
Uwaila said “All efforts to resuscitate him proved abortive as he was certified dead at 11:00 pm”.
He also said, “the result of autopsy is being awaited at the moment”.