The Georgetown Public Hospital in Guyana is urgently installing temporary protective barriers on all windows following two separate incidents where patients leaped to their deaths through hospital windows. Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony confirmed the immediate safety measures are being implemented as an interim solution while more permanent structural modifications are developed.
The tragic incidents, which occurred within weeks of each other, have prompted a comprehensive review of patient safety protocols at the healthcare facility. Minister Anthony disclosed that both suicides happened during brief lapses in supervision, despite the patients being on suicide watch protocols.
Speaking at the Eccles Health Centre in East Bank Demerara, the Health Minister emphasized that the temporary barriers represent just one component of a broader safety enhancement initiative. ‘I have given specific instructions to the hospital to put temporary barriers on all windows,’ Anthony stated, acknowledging that while a long-term solution involving window replacement is underway, immediate action was necessary to mitigate risk.
The hospital administration had previously begun modifying windows after the first incident, but these efforts remained incomplete when the second tragedy occurred. Compounding the safety challenges, ongoing repairs to the psychiatric ward have necessitated relocating some patients to other hospital areas, requiring additional protective measures throughout the facility.
The Ministry of Health is implementing these emergency modifications while maintaining compliance with fire safety regulations. Minister Anthony expressed profound regret over the losses while emphasizing the government’s commitment to preventing future incidents through enhanced structural safeguards and improved supervision protocols.