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Poor sanitation, inadequate medical facilities, meager food supplies, and lack of potable water resulted in serious outbreaks of dysentery, cholera, and tuberculosis, which were exacerbated by overcrowding.

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Area 4. Key Ways ForwardKey Ways Forward

regarding

Health Care Health Care for Incarcerated for Incarcerated

PersonsPersons

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Including the least in society with a standard of medical care.

Limiting the spread of communicable diseases among the poorest and least resistant, due to over-incarceration, over-crowding, lack of sanitation, and medical neglect.

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Provide treatment for drug addiction, instead of incarceration. Support both in-prison and post-prison treatment for alcohol and drug addictions. 

Ensure proper treatment and alternate facilities for those who are mentally ill.

Provide timely medical service; test for and treat infectious diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and hepatitis.

Provide nutritious food, and clean water for consumption and hygiene.

- CURE 3rd International Conference recommendations, March 16, 2008, to the Inter-American Human Rights Commission:

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26. Adequate finance should be made available for health care; and

budgeting for prison health care should be a separate line item.

-The Kampala Declaration on Prison Health in Africa (1999).

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27. Prisons should be open to independent inspectors who should report to a high authority.

28. Access to prisons by the public should be facilitated to enhance transparency. Open door visits could be organised on a regular basis to sensitise and educate the community about prison.

-The Kampala Declaration on Prison Health in Africa (1999).

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29. Priority must be given to communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis,, and local epidemics, as prisons can be breeding grounds with later community infections.

- 4th CURE International

Conference

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30. Alcohol and drug addictions, and mental illness require increased medical an psychological attention.

All inmates with substance use disorders should be provided evidence-based treatment and aftercare.

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31. The Ministry of Health should take over the responsibility of health in prison; and prisons should be included in public health programmes.

Health programs in slums should be similarly upgraded to help reduce entry to prison. - CURE 5th International Conference

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The bonding of infants with their primary care-provider is essential for long term emotional development.  Therefore, mother and child should be in a unit  where they can live together on a continuous basis and under normal conditions as possible.

- Penal Reform International, “Making Law and Policy that Work.”

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