A male patient has committed suicide at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), the hospital spokesman, Mr Joshua Uwaila, has said.

The incident occurred at the Accident and Emergency (A & E) Ward of the hospital on Saturday night.

It was alleged that the victim took his own life while awaiting a doctor.

The victim (name withheld), allegedly stabbed himself to death with a broken window blade beside his bed.

The wife of the patient was away to buy an item at a nearby shop within the hospital premises when the tragedy occurred.

The development triggered a spontaneous protest by some patients at the ward.

A witness, who did not want his name mentioned, and who was also admitted in the ward on Saturday night, disclosed that the deceased came to the hospital with his wife.

“The man suddenly became wild and broke a glass by his bed window and stabbed himself to death,” he said.

“His wife was not around. She went out to buy something outside. There was blood everywhere. We were lucky not to have been injured,” the witness said.

The body of the deceased was later taken to the hospital morgue.

Confirming the incident to journalists in Benin on Tuesday, the spokesman of the university hospital, described the incident as unfortunate.

“A young man, who was a patient at the male medical ward of our hospital whose diagnosis cannot be disclosed for confidentiality reason, suddenly broke a louvre blade and stabbed himself,” he said.

Uwaila said efforts to resuscitate the deceased proved abortive, as he was certified dead at 11p.m.

“The result of the autopsy is being awaited at the moment,” he said. (NAN)