A 38-year-old man named Mike Juma has died in a suspected case of suicide at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital. The sad incident happened on Sunday while he was admitted at the facility for tuberculosis treatment.
According to early reports, Juma hanged himself inside a toilet in Ward Seven, where he had been receiving care. His death has left many questions, especially around what may have pushed him to take his own life.Dr. Vincent Oduor, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, confirmed that Juma had left his hospital bed and gone to the male toilet to take a bath. It was during this time that he reportedly ended his life.
A caretaker who later went to the toilet found his body and quickly alerted the hospital staff. Unfortunately, by the time help arrived, Juma had already died.
Homa Bay Sub County Police Commander Emmanuel Kiplagat also gave a statement about the incident. He said that their early investigations suggest that Juma had missed his tuberculosis medication before the incident.
The police are now trying to understand if missing the treatment had any connection with his death. The body was moved to the hospital mortuary and a postmortem will be carried out to confirm the cause of death.
This case brings to light the growing concern about mental health among patients suffering from long-term illnesses like tuberculosis. TB is not only physically draining but can also affect a person’s mental well-being.
When a patient is isolated for long periods, under strict medical rules, and battling a tough illness, it can easily lead to feelings of depression or hopelessness. The hospital has not yet explained if there were mental health checks done for TB patients or if Juma had shown any signs of distress before his death.
It is also unclear whether the staff noticed any change in his behavior that could have pointed to a risk of self-harm. This incident could now push the hospital and other health centers to start paying more attention to the mental health needs of patients with serious illnesses.
the community is left mourning the loss of a man who had come to the hospital for help but ended up dying in a tragic way.
The postmortem is expected to give more answers, but many will still ask whether more could have been done to save his life.
