Far too many suicides at Kenyatta Hospital

What you need to know:

  • As it were, there are no grilles and security at the hospital’s storied buildings, which makes it easy for patients to jump to their deaths.

Kenyatta National Hospital remains the most sought-after medical care centre in the region because of its status as a referral institution.

In relative terms, it provides quality medical services at reasonable costs, and in particular, offers the best alternative to those from poor backgrounds.

But due to the demand, it faces monumental challenges such as inadequate facilities, cash and staff shortfalls, as well as management deficiencies because of the complexities of its structure and systems. While some of the challenges are obvious, others are invisible yet serious.

As we report elsewhere in this edition today, the hospital, an institution which is dedicated to give comfort to the sick under its care, has become prone to suicides. On average, one or two people kill themselves at the hospital every month and apparently, the authorities are clueless how to prevent them.

Given the delicate situation some patients find themselves in, especially those with terminal ailments, the need to secure the wards is paramount. In short, the suicides are preventable if only the authorities put up appropriate structures.

As it were, there are no grilles and security at the hospital’s storied buildings, which makes it easy for patients to jump to their deaths.

Resolving this problem should be straightforward, but it seems the hospital’s management has not given the matter the attention it deserves.

It does not require a lot of money to put grilles on the windows, deploy adequate security guards and secure corridors especially on the upper floors.

We exhort the hospital administration to move quickly and enforce safety measures to stop the deaths. A hospital has a duty of care and cannot be allowed to turn into a death-trap.