The Management of the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) yesterday warned members of the public to desist from giving cigarettes and matches to patients.
This comes several days after a patient of unsound mind set his mattress ablaze in the male observation ward of the medical institution. A box of matches according to reports was later recovered.
A GPHC release yesterday said that giving matches and cigarettes to patients, especially those in the male and female observation wards, is prohibited.
“The GPHC is beseeching families, relatives and friends to desist from this practice since it can endanger the lives of their loved ones and hospital staff alike. The obvious danger posed by this practice was highlighted on the evening of Sunday March 23, 2008 when a patient in the male observation ward set his mattress ablaze. Disaster was averted by the quick reaction of alert hospital staff”, the release read.
It added that the hospital is taking all precautions to ensure that there is no recurrence of such an incident and is therefore appealing for persons to adhere to the rules.
Quick action by staff at the hospital on Sunday averted what could have been a major fire. This newspaper understands that this was the second attempt in recent times by mentally ill patients to start a fire in the building.
According to reports reaching this newspaper at around 6:45 pm staff saw thick smoke coming from the ward which housed around ten other patients. On checking they realized that a patient had set his mattress ablaze. The hospital staff then formed a bucket brigade and quickly put out the flames.
