50-year-old patient commits suicide at Jinja Hospital

JINJA, UGANDA: Police at Jinja City together with authorities at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital are actively investigating a case of suspected suicide after a 50-year-old man was found hanging dead at the health facility.

Micheal Mukulu, a resident of Rubaga-Mpumudde in Jinja North City Division is alleged to have committed suicide by hanging himself in an incident reported on Friday, August 04, according to Mr David Ssemakula, the hospital administrator.

Mr Ssemakula said that the deceased had ‘a chronic condition’ and was being managed in Ward Four of the hospital before he took his own life in a tragic incident.

“…he committed suicide by hanging rope due to reasons that are unknown to all of us; we notified Police, which came and took the body to the mortuary awaiting an autopsy,” he said, before adding that the hospital has contacted the deceased’s relative to corroborate reports that he had some mental health-related issues that prompted him to commit suicide.

Mr Ssemakula, however, wondered how the deceased beat the hospital’s ‘vigilance’, including all-around surveillance by security guards.

“We have full security in place which patrols the facility all day and night with the help of Police, but we realised that we have porous outlets into the hospital through which he might have sneaked,” said Mr Ssemakula.

Sources who spoke to local radio station KFM narrated that Mukulu had been seen staying in the hospital with a relative, who is a retired (hospital) employee.

“He has been coming here as a relative to that retired staff, and if had some mental disorder, then the family is to blame for abandoning him,” KFM quoted the source on Sunday evening.