By: Andrew Carmichael
Some three days after he was admitted as a patient at the National Psychiatric Hospital at Canje, Berbice, a 41-year-old man who suffered from epilepsy was murdered allegedly by fellow inmates.
On the same day, another patient was injured reportedly during the same confrontation which took place on May 23.
The dead man has been identified as Rohan Satish Sunthgulm of Canefield, East Canje while the injured person is Steve Roberts also of the same village.
Though the incident occurred since last week, the media was only made known of it after the injured person’s grandmother reached out to some reporters.
Roberts, who suffers from a severe speech impediment, could not coherently explain to journalists how he received injuries to his feet and head whilst at the facility.
However, his grandmother Amina Hanif, said she was able to get the information from him and related that his face was first covered before he was beaten by fellow patients.
INews reached out to the sister of the murdered man who explained that her brother attended a clinic at the National Psychiatric Hospital because he was epileptic and had injured himself on May 21.
He was then taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital and subsequently admitted a patient at the Psychiatric Hospital. Two days later, on May 23, the family received news that he was injured. This publication understands that he received a stab to his neck, lacerations to his head, and his forehead was badly swollen.
Sunthgulm died whilst receiving care at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
Meanwhile, in an invited comment today, Regional Chairman David Armogan explained that many of the patients at the National Psychiatric Hospital are violent, often destroying parts of the building.
Armogan said efforts will be made to improve security at the institution and noted that since the incident, police officers have been making nightly checks.
Regional Health Officer Dr Vishalya Sharma explained that both incidents, which resulted in the injury to Roberts and the murder of Sunthgulm, occurred at the same time. She noted that the lone nurse on duty had to flee for his own safety.
Police are investigating.
