A psychiatrist was fatally stabbed by a patient at the medical-psychological center in Le Gosier, Guadeloupe, on December 1. This tragic event reignites discussions on protecting healthcare workers in the archipelago. Tributes highlight Dr. Jean-Michel Gal's dedication to his patients.
On December 1, at the medical-psychological center (CMP) in Le Gosier on Grande-Terre island in Guadeloupe, experienced psychiatrist Dr. Jean-Michel Gal was fatally stabbed by one of his patients at the end of a consultation. The center, located in a quiet neighborhood flanked by a daycare and a cemetery, remains closed since the incident, with shutters down and a modest bouquet of mauve bougainvilleas attached to the gate as a sign of mourning.
Nonagenarian local resident Sylvio A. voices his disbelief: “It’s hard to believe such an event here.” The doctor, known for his psychiatric care at the CMP, leaves a profound void, according to Ida Jhigai, director of the Guadeloupe public mental health facility (EPSM). In a statement, she praises his dedication: “He treated hundreds of Guadeloupean patients with remarkable commitment and great clinical expertise. His benevolence, closeness to care teams, attentive listening to patients and their families, as well as his determination to help them, were universally recognized and applauded.”
The incident shakes the medical community. Pediatrician Frédérique Dulorme, president of the Guadeloupe Regional Union of Liberal Doctors (URPS), says: “We are deeply shaken.” She adds: “We think it could happen to any one of us,” highlighting a rise in physical and verbal assaults. A March survey of about 100 members reported 84 verbal aggressions and 48 physical ones. Tributes pour in from medical professions across the archipelago, renewing calls for better protection of healthcare workers.