The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City. (File photo courtesy of VSMMC)
CEBU CITY – The hospital management of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) has confirmed that a 48-year-old male coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patient committed suicide by jumping off from the third floor.
In a statement posted Tuesday evening, Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr., VSMMC medical chief, said the patient “was admitted due to Covid-19 pneumonia” on Monday and was staying in a room at the third level of the regional hospital.
Aquino said the nurse on duty noticed on early Tuesday morning the sudden behavioral changes on the patient, who would sing then shout and hit the room's glass door with his fist.
The guard on duty then spotted the patient roaming around the third-floor lobby and ignored calls to calm down.
“The patient forcibly broke the glass window near the elevator and jumped to his death towards the ground floor of the ND Building,” Aquino said.
After examination by the internal medical doctor, the patient was found to have suffered open fracture on his right femur.
The patient died on the spot around 8:40 a.m. with 'multiple physical injury secondary to fall, intentional; Covid-19 probable, mild' declared as cause of his death.
Meanwhile, Aquino denied reports that the hospital management cremated the patient’s body immediately after his death, saying that his family claimed the remains at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, after several hours in the hospital morgue.
Aquino also denied the report that they did not allow police investigators from the Cebu City Police Office Station 2 (Abellana Police Precinct) to enter the hospital.
He said Lawyer Paul Gino Lopez, VSMMC’s chief administrative officer, coordinated with Major Elisandro Quijano and the police investigators were at the site where the patient took his life but they observed precautions “in view of the patient’s last known condition”.
“Everyone can experience emotional, mental, and physical drain at this crucial time. We urge the public to maintain the support and prayers for all patients and healthcare workers to avoid stigma and discrimination,” Aquino said.
He said the people “should not add to the burden and sufferings that these fragile populations are experiencing at this time of pandemic”. (PNA)
