The Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital (CGTRH) has clarified an incident involving a patient who died by suicide in the hospital’s premises under unclear circumstances.
In a statement on Tuesday, March 25, the hospital's CEO, Dr Iqbal Khandwalla, stated that the individual was a homeless member of the community with a known history of mental illness and had been admitted for the treatment of septic arthritis.
Despite speculation that the patient took his life due to depression over unpaid medical bills, the CEO asserted that the patient's treatment was progressing smoothly and that "the issue of unpaid hospital bills does not arise."
"The patient had a known history of mental illness, which had been previously noted by both our medical team and local authorities," Khandwalla said.
"Throughout his admission, our staff—including mental health professionals—provided counselling and psychosocial support as part of his care plan," he added.
According to the CEO, the incident has been reported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, who are currently undertaking investigations.
"Despite the best efforts of our team, the patient sadly made a decision that led to the loss of his life. This deeply saddens us all, especially those who had come to know and care for him during his time in the hospital," he added.
It was reported that the patient died inside ward 8 of the hospital where he was recuperating after undergoing surgery.
It is reported that the patient hanged himself using a nylon rope tied to a metal bar above his hospital bed.
According to other patients in the same ward, the deceased had expressed concerns about being unable to raise his hospital bill.
“He was admitted on March 19 after undergoing surgery on his right ribs. On Saturday, he said his family had abandoned him and threatened to take his life,” one patient recounted.
The incident comes almost two months after Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) confirmed that a patient died inside one of its wards under unclear circumstances on the night of February 6, 2025.
"We are deeply saddened to confirm an incident involving the tragic death of a patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital. The hospital is working closely with law enforcement authorities and has launched an internal investigation to determine the facts surrounding this incident," the notice read in part.
