A Helen Joseph Tertiary Hospital patient died at around 5:30am on 3 December after an alleged attempted suicide.
It’s believed the patient took a plunge from the seventh floor and died from the resultant injuries he sustained.
The patient was being treated for organophosphate poisoning after drinking herbal medicine and excessive alcohol at home.
The hospital’s CEO Dr Raymond Billa said the patient’s 20-minute bathroom visited prompted concern from the nurses, who knocked on the bathroom door to check on him.
“When there was no response, they opened the door and noted that he wasn’t there and the window was opened. As hospital staff searched for the patient, a cleaner saw a body lying on the ground floor and immediately alerted the nurses and security.”
Police were at the scene and have initiated forensic investigation.
Gauteng MEC for Health Hope Papo has launched an investigation and instructed the quality assurance team from the department’s head office to conduct an immediate investigation and provide a report to him as soon as possible.
Hospital personnel have also been instructed to co-operate with the police investigation.
“This is a tragic incident that must be investigated in detail to provide us with full information about how it happened and whether it could’ve been prevented,” Papo insisted.
The patient’s family were called in for a briefing and offered psycho-social support to assist them in dealing with their loss.
Affected staff members will also be offered counselling to help them deal with the trauma.
