Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
A patient has reportedly committed suicide at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
The ugly incident occurred at the Accident and Emergency (A & E) Ward of the hospital on Saturday night.
The victim (name withheld) allegedly stabbed himself to death with a broken louvre beside his bed while awaiting doctor’s attention.
The wife of the patient was said to have been away to get an article at a nearby shop within the hospital premises when the tragedy occurred.
The development was said to have triggered a spontaneous protest by helpless patients at the ward.
A witness who was also admitted in the ward on Saturday night, said “he came into the hospital with his wife.”
The witness who preferred anonymity explained that “the man suddenly became wild and broke a louvre beside his window and stabbed himself to death.
“His wife was not around. She went out to buy something outside. There was blood everywhere,” he said, adding “we were lucky not to have been injured”.
The body of the deceased was said to have been deposited at the morgue.
Confirming the incident, spokesman of UBTH, Mr Joshua Uwaila, said: “An unfortunate incident happened on Saturday night July 13, 2019, at about 10:30 pm when a young man who was a patient at the male medical ward of our hospital (diagnosis not disclosed for confidentiality sake), suddenly broke a louvre and stabbed himself.
“All efforts to resuscitate him proved abortive as he was certified dead at 11:00 pm.
The result of an autopsy is being awaited at the moment.”