Mental Health Challenges: Dr. Williams’ Untimely Passing. The body of a medical practitioner was discovered in his car by a colleague on the grounds of the UWI hospital in St. Andrew, Jamaica, on Thursday. He had reportedly faced mental health challenges.
Authorities identified the deceased as Dr. Mark-Anthony Williams, 29, of Independence City in Portmore, St. Catherine. He was an employee at the University Hospital of the West Indies in St Andrew.
Head of the St Andrew Central Police Division, Superintendent Mark Harris, confirmed Dr. Williams’ untimely passing and stated that the police are treating the matter as a suicide.
Mental Health Challenges. Further, Superintendent Harris noted that Dr. Williams reportedly had a mental health issue and was taking medication.
According to reports, Dr. Williams’ family grew concerned and began searching for him on Thursday, February 27, 2025, after he did not to return home.
Eventually, they tracked his phone to an area at the hospital and shared the information with the authorities.
At approximately 10:00 a.m., a colleague discovered Dr. Williams’ unresponsive body in the back of the doctors’ quarters on the hospital grounds.
As a result, the authorities summoned the Papine police in St. Andrew.
Upon arrival, officers found the body with what appeared to be blood coming from the nose and mouth.
The police processed the scene and removed the body to the morgue, pending a post-mortem.
UWI hospital expressed sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Dr. Williams a victim of mental health challenges.
In a statement on Thursday, the hospital expressed sympathies to Dr. Williams’ loved ones, friends, and colleagues.
Nevertheless, the hospital stated that the issue is under investigation and chose not to provide additional comments.
“Out of respect for the privacy of the deceased’s family and friends, we are not at liberty to discuss any further details publicly.”
University Hospital of the West Indies
“We ask for sensitivity and understanding as we allow the necessary processes to occur,” the hospital’s statement read.
According to The Gleaner, Dr. Williams’s death has shocked his colleagues.
One of his grieving colleagues reportedly said he and Dr. Williams graduated from medical school in 2020.
“I feel shocked. Devastated. I’ve never experienced anything like this – where a colleague, someone I used to work with, dies so suddenly,” said the doctor.
Colleague of the late Dr. Mark-Anthony Williams
“People are shocked, and we still need to know the details,” the colleague added.
The authorities urged anyone struggling with mental health challenges to seek help. They should reach out to someone if they need to talk about their or someone else’s mental health. Contact the Jamaica Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline at (888) 639-5433.
The helpline is a service provided by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. It offers support for people with mental health challenges over the phone to the Jamaican public.