Kenya’s Aokigahara? Worry as KNH building is turned into suicide site
In Japan, for years, the distressed citizens have committed suicide inside Aokigahara Forest in droves.
In the last two decades hundreds have ended their lives by hanging themselves inside this forest, forcing government to place a sign at the forest’s entry urging suicidal visitors to seek help and not take their own lives.
In Kenya, a similar trend is being witnessed at Kenya’s oldest and biggest hospital, the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Patients have been committing suicide at the state’s facility, many preferring to jump to their death from the hospital’s tall building, because of huge bills or terminal illnesses.
However, the hospital has witnessed a shocking new trend.
That of outsiders walking to the facility as visitors then jumping from top floors.
In May 2016 Bernard Kipngetich, a patient jumped from the 8th floor and died on the spot.
In 2017, a middle-aged man Maurice Chege Kiarie jumped from the seventh floor to his death after he was detained over medical bills. The other documented case was eight years ago.
From an inside source, there have been other cases but the recent one has sparked worries, forcing the hospital management to hush the story.
The deceased, a 41-year-old John Maina Macharia is said to have scaled to the seventh floor on September 13, 2022 then jumped to his death.
Maina was not a patient but chose KNH as his suicide site after he learnt of successful suicides committed there in recent years.
He was buried in Kigumo, Murang’a County on September 22 but his actions sparked fear that many non-patients may turn the facility into a Kenya’s Aokigahara.
The father of one had quarreled with his wife. He traveled from deep in Eastlands with just the motive to kill himself at KNH.
“Patients have been jumping to their deaths from KNH building but the case of Maina is worrying. We fear if distressed people out there realise how easy it is to commit suicide at this hospital, we will be face big problem,” a staff told The Informer.
When contacted, hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr. Evanson Kamuri remained tight lipped about the matter that has suppressed from the public limelight to conceal alleged security lapse at the national referral hospital.
Word has it that hospital management and police did a cover up to protect the hospital’s reputation and possible culpability on their part.
“Now visitors are potential suspects of suicide. We are worried. It is time the hospital puts metallic barriers along the exposed balconies and corridors, otherwise we will witness more of this” an officer in the security department said.
