The State Management and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives have directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to take PCR test of all the inmates of those prisons where corona has been diagnosed. A virtual meeting of the committee held on August 30 has directed to conduct PCR and test of all the inmates in the prisons where inmates have been tested positive for corona so far.
Committee Chairperson Shashi Shrestha informed INSEC representative over the telephone that the committee has instructed to remain vigilant on the issue of serious humanitarian concerns as the inmates are not allowed to go out. He said that the inmates of all the prisons where corona infection was seen could be protected from corona only if they were given a health checkup and treatment. According to him, the committee has suggested the Home Ministry provide the required number of PPEs to the police.
Committee Chairperson Shrestha directed to monitor the complaints of non-receipt of PPE, Globes, Mask and others. He suggested keeping the prisoners on parole, keeping them in open prisons and keeping them in separate places for risk reduction depending on their health condition.
Drona Pokharel, Director General of the prison management department, admitted that the inmates had a fever and said that PCR tests were conducted on 175 inmates at the central prison. He informed the committee that preparations were being made to take them to the Armed Police Hospital, Balambu.
At present, there are 3,100 inmates in the central jail and 52 of them are infected. Similarly, eight people were found to be infected with corona in Banke Jail.