A man receiving treatment for tuberculosis at Homa Bay County Referral Hospital has died in what police suspect was suicide, raising fresh questions about mental health support in public hospitals.
The 38-year-old, identified as Mike Juma, was found hanging in a toilet inside Ward 7, where he had been admitted in an isolation unit. The grim discovery was made by a hospital caretaker who immediately alerted staff.
Dr Vincent Oduor, the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, confirmed the incident. “The patient had gone to bathe in the male toilet. Unfortunately, it appears he took his own life there,” Dr Oduor said in an interview.
Juma had been undergoing treatment for tuberculosis, a disease that still poses a significant public health challenge in parts of Kenya. He was placed in isolation in line with infection control procedures.
Police have opened an investigation into the death. Homa Bay Sub-County Police Commander Emmanuel Kiplagat told reporters that preliminary findings suggest Juma may have stopped taking his TB medication shortly before his death.
“We’re treating the matter seriously. Right now, there’s no evidence of foul play, but a post-mortem will be conducted to confirm the cause of death,” Kiplagat said.
Mental health professionals say the case highlights a wider, often overlooked crisis in patient care.
“People living with chronic illnesses like TB face immense psychological pressure,” said Dr Anne Nyambura, a Nairobi-based psychiatrist not involved in the case. “When support systems are weak, such outcomes become more likely.”
The Ministry of Health has not yet issued a statement. However, public hospitals across the country have long been criticised for underfunded mental health services and a shortage of trained staff.
As the investigation continues, the hospital has pledged to review its safety protocols. Dr Oduor noted, “This is a tragedy. We must now look at what can be done to prevent another one.”
The deceased’s body has been transferred to the hospital mortuary, where a post-mortem is expected in the coming days.
Local leaders have called for counselling services to be offered to patients in isolation and greater public investment in mental health care.
For now, a quiet ward in Homa Bay bears the weight of a painful loss—and a system under pressure.
