MTRH holds crisis meeting after multiple deaths of patients

The Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital board has held a crisis meeting after a second patient died under mysterious circumstances.

The patient reportedly died by suicide in an isolation ward.

The body of the patient was found hanging on a window grill on Saturday, according to a report filed at the Naiberi police station.

“It was established from the nurse of the said ward that the deceased became violent to other mental patients and was taken to a secure room within the male ward at 1230hrs,” the OB report said.

“Later at 1345hrs when they went to check on him they found him hanging on the window grill using his clothes [patient’s uniform].”

Hospital officials told police the patient was admitted on January 14 with bipolar disorder.

The body was moved to the MTRH mortuary for postmortem.

Relatives of the deceased said they were waiting for full investigations.

“We hope the police will let us know exactly what happened to our brother,” they said.

Police say they are investigating the incident.

MTRH chief executive Dr Phillip Kirwa confirmed the incident, saying the patient had turned violent and had been locked up in a strong room alone.

He said usually such violent patients are placed in the strong room.

“The family members have been informed and police are also handling the matter,” he added.

Kirwa, who spoke to the Star on the phone, said the hospital would give a statement.

The matter is still under probe and a number of officials have been questioned.

The death comes after another incident where a cancer patient walked out of the hospital only to be found mauled by dogs.

Albert Chesang vanished from the facility before his decomposing body was discovered on the banks of River Sosiani, just 200 metres from the hospital, on February 9.

According to investigators, the deceased was located wearing civilian clothing.

The incidents come amid an ongoing probe following the death of a patient at the Kenyatta National Hospital.

The male patient, 39-year-old Gilbert Kinyua, was found dead in his bed with his throat slashed, police and hospital officials said.

Other patients told police and KNH officials an intruder went to the ward and killed the patient on the night of February 7.

Kinyua had been admitted to KNH on December 11, 2024, due to a cerebral disorder, officials said.

Police who visited the scene said the ward where Kinyua was admitted had another patient who was seeking treatment for the same condition.