Friday, March 29, 2024

Compassionate release of all HIV inmates not attainable-Chato

Share

Yesterda's He was speaking in Kabwe today when he addressed hundreds of prisoners at Mukobeko maximum security prisonZAMBIA Correctional Service Commissioner General Percy Chato says suggestions made by Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISCA) executive director Godfrey Malembeka that all HIV inmates should be granted a compassionate release was not attainable.

Mr Chato, however, explained that an HIV positive inmate can only be released on compassion discharge if the condition becomes terminal and doctors assess that the imprisonment may endanger his life.

The commissioner general further said that Zambia correctional service has a directorate of medical services that ensures that all HIV positive inmates are provided with adequate medical care and facilities.

“We cannot release inmates just because they are HIV positive without following the right procedure. We do have a system and it is done periodically and this is the right way to do things,” he said.

Recently, PRISCA Executive Director Godfrey Malembeka called on government to consider releasing all HIV positive patients from prisons because there are limited health services to attend to their health needs while incarcerated.

He said Zambian prisons have inadequate health service facilities coupled with poor diets which are unfavourable to the requirements of healthy living especially for people living with the virus.

Dr Malembeka said if Government took this step, it would be a perfect gift for prisoners as well as their families as they celebrate the birth of Christ.
He said Zambian prisons have inadequate health service facilities coupled with poor diets which are unfavourable to the requirements of healthy living, especially for people living with the virus.

Dr Malembeka added that the same forgiveness must be extended to the elderly and those with tuberculosis (TB) as the facilities do not support them due to the congestion in the holding facilities countrywide.

He said the move would also help to decongest the highly populated facilities where inmates were exposed to inhuman living conditions including shortage of beddings and uniforms.

5 COMMENTS

  1. The standard of living should be improved in prisons. Some of the polichickens sorry politicians have been there before as prisoners and tourists. They have have just preached on how the jail cells and prisons should be improved but no actions. Prisoners should not be pardoned due to their illness. As a taxpayer, I have contributed so prisoners can get free ARVs/ARTs. When people go to prison, some of them become wives of senior prisoners who have been penetrating other prisoner’s anuses and they care less about contracting the HIV virus. Some prisoners get raped and they can’t report because nothing will happen it will just make their life stiff in prison when they report. It should be a serious issue when such things happen. Prisoners will be trying by all means to catch the virus as…

  2. I agree, the conditions don’t meet basic living standards, and you are sentencing those guys to a life of poor health or even death, without adequate prisons. If government doesn’t want to do this, then they should spend more money on providing a healthy environment for the people who grow much of the nation’s food in exchange for almost nothing, instead of building more malls, atase!

  3. While it is humane to release prisonors on grounds of compassion there is a reason they are in jail. Unleashing them on society again sends a message to wrong doers that they are free to commit crimes as long as they are HIV positive and given the statistics that likely hood is very high so it would be catastrophic in the long run. Spending more for health in prisons before spending that amount on people who are not incarcerated again sends a poor message. Prisons are supposed to be deterrents for people planning to do wrong not a place they look forward to going after commiting crimes! Please think carefully about the precedents you want to set and the message you give to the general public anout where government priorities lie. I was horrified at what president Lungu did for the prisons…

  4. Hei Doctor Sondashi, for once release your AIDS curing fomular for free to us. I assure you this action will make you go to the grave second only to JESUS CHRIST. Dr. S. do you have mercy? you are already rich with estates all over Zambia and abroad, what do you want from poor sick people trying to access your medicines? Give the cure for free or go to the grave as SATAN HIMSELF. You are indirectly the causer of the madness to release criminals. I was just tested as -, I may have it now or in future but I am affected. The hospitals are onother hopless institution: – or + yaaa! Dr. S. just give us for free old Man, money tashakafule..

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading