25 Nov 2018

Sbarana Psychiatric Hospital has recorded 12 deaths in the last five years, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Alfred Madigele has said.

He said five deaths were recorded in 2013, three in 2014, one in 2015 while one death was recorded in 2017 and two in 2018.

The hospital did not record any death in 2016.

He said of the 12 deaths, seven were natural causes while two committed suicide by hanging, one was from head injuries, while the other two deaths were recent and were awaiting postmortem results.

The ministry, he said, was in the process of installing CCTV cameras to monitor psychiatric wards, adding that the two suicides that occurred by hanging occurred in the bathrooms.

“We have since increased supervision of patients during bathing and removed shower nods, front doors and other objects like cloth hangers from the bathrooms,” he said.

Maun West MP, Mr Tawana Moremi had asked the minister to elucidate on the number and causes of deaths at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital during the last five years and what measures were in place to address the situation. ENDS