LAHORE: A chronic liver patient allegedly committed suicide on Monday by jumping from Shaikh Zayed Hospital’s second floor, allegedly after being disallowed by the doctors to return home without getting treatment.

According to police, Muhammad Usman, 23 of Charsada, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was admitted to Liver Transplant Unit of the hospital five days back.

He wanted to go back his home, but the doctors concerned did not discharge him because his condition was not stable, the police said.

On Monday, the patient came out of the unit and jumped from the second floor of the hospital and suffered critical head injuries.

He was shifted to the emergency unit where he succumbed to his injuries.

Muhammad Din, an uncle of the deceased, told the media that Usman had exchanged harsh words with Dr Aamir Lateef who visited the unit for his routine checkup.

He said after the incident, the doctors allegedly expelled Usman from the unit who jumped from the second floor of the hospital minutes after.

Mr Din alleged that his nephew committed suicide in dejection over harsh behavior of the doctors.

Muslim Town SHO Muhammad Ali said initial investigation revealed that the patient was depressed and wanted to return home without completion of his treatment. He said apparently after failing to get permission to return home, he jumped from the second floor of the hospital building to commit suicide.

He said Usman’s family refused to take any action against anyone and took his body to their native village for burial after completion of legal formalities.

However, according to hospital spokesman Muhammad Zahid, the patient was suffering from chronic liver disease (Budd Chiari Syndrome). He was admitted to the liver transplant unit of the hospital on June 22 and workup for his treatment was in process.

He said the Medical Board had advised Cadaveric Liver Transplant to the patient and Punjab government provided the grant for the operation.

Due to severity of the disease the patient was depressed and had been insisting that he should be discharged.

The spokesman said the medical board, however, did not permit the patient to leave the hospital because his condition was not stable.

He said after the board’s refusal the patient took extreme step and committed suicide.

He said a three-member inquiry committee had been constituted that would submit its report within three days.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2016