‘Skin diseases, STDs most prevalent among prison inmates’

Poor hygiene in prisons, as well as provision of foods with inadequate vitamins have been identified as the major causes of skin diseases and eye problems amongst prison inmates in the country. Chief Medical Officer of Irestore Life Foundation, Dr Muriel Iyang, disclosed this during the foundation’s medical outreach to Suleja Prisons, Niger State. She […]

Poor hygiene in prisons, as well as provision of foods with inadequate vitamins have been identified as the major causes of skin diseases and eye problems amongst prison inmates in the country.

Chief Medical Officer of Irestore Life Foundation, Dr Muriel Iyang, disclosed this during the foundation’s medical outreach to Suleja Prisons, Niger State.

She said Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and malaria, were also prevalent amongst the inmates.

Dr Muriel said with proper hygiene, healthy and balanced food, some of these diseases could be avoided.

“Good hygiene has to be stressed; food should be healthy, balanced and enough in quantity to provide the inmates what they need,” she said.

 “A lot of inmates do not have items for personal hygiene, some of them go for weeks without bathing with soap, so their welfare should be catered for. Nigerian Prisons are grossly over populated so opening their hands to organizations like ours is a step in the right direction to help the inmates because we can supplement the effort of government,” she added.

 Also speaking, Assistant Controller of Prisons in charge of Medical Section, Suleja Prisons, Magaji Rabo, said the major challenge facing the prison relating to health was unavailability of drugs.

 He said when there were emergencies, patients had to be referred to Suleja General Hospital which was far away from the prison and that the prison had no ambulance.

 While commending the efforts of organisations like Irestore, he called on more others to help inmates by providing them welfare packages.

 Also speaking, the founder of Irestore Life Foundation, Modupe Adeshina, said the aim of the outreach was to reduce the number of sick people that were incarcerated, and assist in their reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration back into society.