Pensioner dies after jumping from GPHC’s 2nd floor

A 70-year-old patient died on Thursday after jumping from the second-floor male surgical ward of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The man had been hospitalised for several weeks and was reportedly under suicide watch at the time of the incident. He succumbed to injuries sustained in the fall.
The incident comes less than six weeks after another patient died in similar circumstances at the same facility.
On January 18, 22-year-old Marissa Eastman, who was six months pregnant, died after jumping from the third floor of a ward at GPHC. Eastman, of La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, Region Three, had been admitted earlier that day after relatives raised concerns about her behaviour.
According to relatives, Eastman had been expressing distressing thoughts and exhibiting unusual behaviour prior to her admission. They said they had asked hospital staff to ensure she was closely monitored. Shortly after leaving the hospital, family members were informed that she had fallen from a third-floor window. She sustained severe head injuries and was pronounced dead.
In a statement issued following that incident, GPHC said Eastman had been admitted for evaluation and referred for psychiatric assessment. The hospital stated that no suicidal ideation or psychotic symptoms were identified during the assessment.
The institution also announced that it had launched a full internal investigation and was reviewing its protocols on patient observation and mental health monitoring, including suicide watch policies, to strengthen patient safety.
Police investigations were initiated into the January incident. It was not immediately clear on Thursday whether a similar investigation has been launched into the latest death, as up to press time GPHC had not issued a statement on the incident.
(If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 915 for assistance.)