BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The management of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City is asking for prayers from the public to all COVID-19 patients and frontline medical workers, after the occurrence of a suicide incident at the hospital premises on January 24.
A 68-year-old patient who tested positive for COVID-19, jumped from the hospital’s 5th floor, resulting in his death.
“This situation is very saddening, especially during this time of pandemic,” Dr. Julius Drilon, CLMMRH chief, said in a statement issued by the hospital management.
CLMMRH, therefore, asks the public to pray for all the patients and health workers to overcome not only physical, but mental and emotional exhaustion brought by COVID-19, Drilon said.
“Regardless of how heartbreaking the situation is, CLMMRH deemed it necessary to inform the public of the suicide incident that happened within the hospital grounds,” he added.
The 68-year-old patient was admitted to CLMMRH on January 21 and was brought to the 5th Floor West Tower Building of the CLMMRH due to COVID-19 complications.
As part of their COVID-19 policy, Drilon said the CLMMRH issued a “no watchers” policy, and instead medical and nursing personnel were put in charge of addressing the needs of all COVID-19 patients within the 5th floor.
Prior to the incident, Drilon reported that the personnel handling the victim did not notice any unusual behavior, when he was visited to give him his medication.
He also said that the patient was also responsive to nurse attending him, with no signs of any ill motive.
Between 11:40 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. security officers responded to a loud thud at the Water Treatment Facility and discovered the patient.
Drilon said nobody saw the patient jump from the 5th floor.
Doctors immediately responded to attend to the patient, but he had suffered multiple trauma injuries and was declared dead on the spot. Drilon said that the hospital management is closely coordinating with the patient’s family and the police.*
