‘PSYCHIATRIC CENTRE A HEALTH HAZARD, PATIENTS ATTACK STAFF’

MBABANE – The National Psychiatric Hospital might just be the Ministry of Health’s new headache.

Sources allege that the psychiatric hospital is not only a health hazard among other issues but needs serious intervention as there are reports of alleged assault on support staff by patients. According to sources who asked that their identities be concealed as they feared victimisation, the psychiatric centre was a cause for concern as there was overcrowding in some wards and added that their standard was not satisfactory. They alleged that some patients slept on the floor as there were insufficient beds. They further alleged that some patients went to the extent of sleeping together in an attempt to keep warm. The sources also alleged that the hospital seemingly had financial problems as there was no washing soap among other things.

The sources alleged that the centre’s laundry department could not wash linen and patients’ uniforms due to the unavailability of soap. They further alleged that the department had to improvise by using tile cleaner to wash the linen and uniforms. Hygiene was also of concern to the sources who alleged that if health inspectors would visit the hospital, a lot of concerns may be raised. The sources alleged that patients were at high risk of being sick and sustaining physical injuries which could even be fatal. They alleged that this was because of what they described as the extreme unhealthy inpatient environment conditions. “Patients bath in filthy showers and pass stools in filthy blocked toilets,” alleged the sources. They further alleged that the centre’s drainage system had problems as waste was not washed away, instead filthy water erupted from it onto the floor surface. They also alleged that some acutely ill patients drank the dirty water.

Violence was also alleged to have happened at the psychiatric centre in April, as a patient allegedly assaulted a member of the support staff. According to the sources, the staff member was assaulted while in the acute male ward. They alleged that the staff member was brutally assaulted and left with fractured bones by patients who complained about meals being served 30 minutes past their normal serving time. The patients were also alleged to have been aggrieved by food being of bad quality and small quantity. According to the sources, patients allegedly used unclean blankets and mattresses. The sources said the blankets had a foul smell and were of poor quality. They narrated that patients allegedly had to use multiple blankets to keep themselves warm. Ministry of Health Deputy Director Dr Velephi Okello confirmed the reports during an interview yesterday. She explained that the staff member who was assaulted by patients was receiving medical attention and added that the psychiatric hospital employees had been engaged about the matter. She explained that the facility was a high risk environment as such incidents sometimes happened.

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