In an nterview, ZPS Deputy Commissioner for Administration, Aggrey Huggins Machingauta, said the service was hit hard by the shortage of medical personnel.
“I can confirm that ZPS doesn’t have doctors at prison hospitals to service Masvingo and Midlands regions which has affected service of the prison hospitals,” said Dep Comm Machingauta.He said the doctor that they have is from Matabeleland region and services the other two provinces which was very strenuous. He said they had failed to get medical doctors because of poor remuneration, making them shy away.
“There is poor remuneration and we have nothing attractive to offer the doctors so they do not want to work in our prisons. If we had an attractive package maybe we would have adequate doctors,” Dep Comm Machingauta said.
However, he said nursing staff was adequate and there were no challenges in that area as interested prison officers are taken to nursing schools for training and in turn are taken to work in the prison hospitals across the country’s prisons.
The deputy commissioner further said the health delivery system was generally good especially in regard to HIV and Aids as inmates are being provided with antiretrovirals (ARV’s).
“Inmates are receiving ARV’s and we are working well with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, World Health Organisation (WHO) and are receiving funds through the Global Fund to aid in the provision of drugs and other things,” he said.
Every individual who is HIV positive, and gets incarcerated in any of the ZPS facilities, and who has notified authorities about his/her condition must be given an opportunity to access anti-retroviral drugs (ARV)’s medication as prescribed by medical practitioners.
He further urged government and other stake holders to provide adequate funding to look after inmates as they look up to them for assistance since they are locked up.
“Prisoners look up to the State for assistance; they are the burden of the State and must be taken care of. If the treasury does not recognise such responsibility prison life gets very difficult.
“I appeal to treasury to timeously release funds to channel to prison activities,” he said.
Hundreds of inmates have over the years been dying due to lack of funding for adequate medication and nutritious food. Disease outbreaks have also affected a number of prisoners leading to their deaths in numbers.
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