By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City yesterday asked the public for prayers for all COVID-19 patients and frontline medical workers after one of their COVID-positive patients took his own life on Monday, January 24.

In a statement signed by CLMMRH head, Dr. Julius Drilon, said the public should pray that all patients and medical workers can overcome not only physical but mental and emotional exhaustion brought by COVID-19.

“Regardless of how heartbreaking the situation is, CLMMRH deemed it necessary to inform the public of the suicide incident that happened within the hospital grounds,” Drilon said.

According to Drilon, the 68-year-old patient was admitted to CLMMRH on the early morning of January 21 and was brought to the 5th Floor West Tower Building of the CLMMRH due to COVID-10 complications.

As part of their COVID-19 policy, Drilon said the CLMMRH issued a “no watchers” policy, and instead medical and nursing personnel were put in charge of addressing the needs of all COVID-19 patients within the said floor.

Drilon said the personnel handling the victim did not notice any unusual behavior and 10 minutes prior to the incident when a nurse visited to give him his medication, the patient was also responsive with no signs of any ill motive.

Between 11:40 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. security officers responded to a loud thud at the Water Treatment Facility and discovered the patient. Drilon said nobody saw the patient jump from the 5th floor.

He added doctors immediately responded to examine the patient, but he had suffered multiple trauma injuries and was declared dead on the spot.

Currently, the patient’s remains are still at the CLMMRH morgue and the hospital management are closely coordinating with the patient’s family and the police./DGB, WDJ