Mr James B. Mwinyelle, Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP), Commander of the Wa Central Prisons, says the health of the inmates of the Prison was a major concern to the Prison’s management.
He said they were making frantic efforts despite the challenges they faced to ensure the inmates had good health conditions to enable them to participate actively in the skills training activities while in the prison.
He said in that regard, the Wa Municipal Hospital had agreed to attach a Physician Assistant to the infirmary at the Prison to help enhance the healthcare service provision to the inmates and to offer health education to them.
He said this in Wa when a philanthropist donated medical consumables worth about GHȻ2,000.00 to the Wa Central Prison.
He stated that the prison administration went through challenges in treating the inmates including footing the medical bills.
“Some of the inmates don’t get visited at all so when they are sick the administration has a big headache taking them to the hospital considering the cost involved,” Mr Mwinyelle indicated.
He, however, commended the Upper West Regional and the Wa Municipal Hospitals and some individuals and institutions for their support to the administration in treating and paying the medical bills of inmates.
Mr Mwinyelle appealed to the public to support the Prison Service in managing the inmates including their feeding and healthcare.
He also entreated members of the public to desist from stigmatising prisoners after serving their prison terms to enable them to reintegrate into society.
Mr Seidu Bomanjor, a broadcast journalist with GBC Radio Upper West, who presented the items on behalf of the philanthropist, commended the Prison Commander and his officers for their efforts in caring for the inmates.
He encouraged the prison’s management to take advantage of the many radio stations in the region to sensitise the public against stigmatising the inmates.
“People are freed, but they cannot go home, they can’t refeed into the larger society and the relapse is that they go back to crime,” Mr Bomanjor lamented.
GNA