Police in Region Six as of yesterday afternoon were still searching for one of the nine patients who fled from the National Psychiatric Hospital on Saturday evening during a fire.
Eleven patients of the hospital have been hospitalized with four nursing burn injuries.
Regional Health Officer, Dr. Vishalya Sharma, yesterday told the media that a section of the Chalet 4 Ward was destroyed as a result of the fire. She noted, that police were assisting with security at the location. She also said, that in addition to the security of staff they are also closely monitoring the admitted patients.
According to her, seven patients from the Psychiatric Hospital were admitted at the Port Mourant Hospital in stable condition while the four nursing 16% – 20% burn injuries about their bodies were admitted at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.
Initially, the Guyana Police Force had relayed, that nine patients had escaped during the fire which was started around 8 pm on Saturday. However, late Saturday night the police noted that three of the patients were found while a fourth turned himself over.
Yesterday afternoon, four more of the patients were found and handed over to the institution.
Meanwhile, based on information gathered, the Chalet 4 Ward which is located on the northern side in the compound and measured about 70 feet in length and 30 feet in width, housed 31 patients.
According to a source, three patients started to behave disorderly and fight with pieces of wood. Moments after, smoke began emanating from the ward causing patients to scream for help and shouting that a fire had been started.
The New Amsterdam Fire Station was immediately summoned and after arriving was able to put out the fire. However, during this process the nine patients made good their escape.
Stabroek News was informed that 11 of the patients were rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital, while the remaining eight were housed in the Acute Centre and three others were housed in Chalet One.
Only recently, a Cane-field, East Canje Berbice man died following an attack allegedly perpetrated by a fellow patient at the Psychiatric Hospital.
Ryan Satesh Sunthgolam, 41, of Lot 128 East Canefield, East Canje Berbice, was rushed to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. A post-mortem examination showed that the man suffered a fractured skull.
Armogan had told Stabroek News that the matter was reported to the police and an investigation is ongoing. According to him, a patient pulled out a window and grill mesh which he used to inflict the injuries on Sunthgolam.
Further, the relatives of another patient, Steve Roberts, of Canefield, East Canje Berbice, were forced to discharge him last week after they discovered that he had burn and other injuries about his body during a visit.
His grandmother was fearful that had he returned to the institution then he might have suffered the same fate as Sunthgolam.
