Patients commit suicide at Sbrana

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is in the process of installing CCTV cameras at the country’s only psychiatric facility - Sbrana Hospital in Lobatse. The decision is a safety measure following the death of two patients who committed suicide in the bathrooms last month. So far 12 deaths have been registered at the facility in the last five years. Seven of the deaths were suicides since 2013. Minister Dr. Alfred Madigela confirmed this when responding to a question in parliament this week. Breaking down the figures Madigela said that the 12 deaths at Sbrana were as follows: Five that took place in 2015, with three happening in 2014 and one each in 2015 and 2017 respectively, whilst the last two happened in 2018. He said of these 12 deaths, seven were of natural causes three were of unnatural causes with two having committed suicide by hanging and one caused by head injuries. “We are still waiting for post- mortem of the two deaths which both occurred in October 2018. My ministry is in the process of installing CCTV cameras to monitor Psychiatric Wards. “It has to be noted that the two suicide deaths from hanging occurred in the bathrooms, so we have since increased supervision of patients during bathing and removed shower rods, front doors and other objects like cloth-hangers from the bath rooms. Member of Parliament for Maun West Tawana Moremi had asked the minister to state the number and cause of deaths at Sbrana Mental Hospital during the last five years and measures in place to address the situation.