Panel moots central data bank on health issues plaguing prisoners

A parliamentary panel has asked the government to prepare a central data bank of health issues faced by prisoners, hoping it would help address medical needs of women prisoners better.

The Parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women said such an effort would "go a long way" in providing better health care services to women inmates. The data would prove handy to comprehend the problems faced by women prisoners and chalkout policies beneficial to them, it said.

The panel's recommendation in its report titled "Women in Detention and Access to Justice," came after it was shocked to find that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) did not have records of common health ailments prevalent among women prisoners.

The MHA had admitted before the panel that there is a need for improvement in health care facilities in jails in view of shortage of doctors, para-medical staff and equipment.

The committee noted that diseases like tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, venereal disease and gynaecological problems arising out of poor menstrual hygiene, are common among women prisoners.

It suggested that the MHA should undertake an extensive survey across prisons in the country to compile data on health of women prisoners and the diseases they suffer from the most.

On shortage of healthcare officials, the panel recommended that vacancies must be filled on priority in the larger interest of justice for women prisoners.