Due to the vacant position of a health worker at the District Prison of Kailali, the inmates are deprived of health checkups and treatment for the last two months.
Jailer Nara Bahadur told INSEC that due to severe cold the inmates are falling sick regularly and there was a problem in their health checkups and treatment as there was no health worker in the district prison for the past two months.
He shared, ‘Due to the extreme weather conditions, the inmates are falling sick every day. Since the position of the health worker is vacant in the prison, twice a week, two health workers are being sent from Seti Provincial Hospital for their checkups and treatment. Even in the case of a minor health issue, a patient has to be taken to Seti Provincial Hospital due to the absence of the health worker.
According to Birendra Bohara, Information Officer at the District Prison, the prison has one position of an Assistant Health Worker (AHW). Senior AHW Sunaina Shrestha was working in that position but she was transferred to Kathmandu two months ago.
Bohora further added, ‘Senior AHW used to check 10/10 every day and monitored the health condition of the inmates. It was easier for us to refer patients with terminal illnesses and critical psychological issues to the hospital. At present, the two days of the week is spent checking and treating patients with a terminal illness and critical psychological issues. Therefore, the checkup of the patients with minor health issues and tuberculosis has not been possible.’
The prison has 20 patients with a terminal illness, three patients with tuberculosis, 10 diabetics, and six patients with psychological illness. They have a regular medical prescription, informed health worker Sharmila Gurung.
District Prison of Kailali can accommodate 150 inmates but there are 523 inmates among whom 36 are females and 490 males. There are three dependent children as well.
Since the prison is overcrowded, the inmates are compelled to take turns while sleeping and have to be in long queues for using toilets, informed Badda Rana, Guard of the prison.