FIRST SAY:
Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo — obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other.
—Angela Davis
Treating prisoners with compassion doesn't excuse their crimes but acknowledges their humanity.
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The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) did the right thing in calling on the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to adopt healthcare improvement measures in prison facilities. After all, the inmates inside the jails of the Bureau of Corrections are human beings, too. Filipinos who are incarcerated to be reformed, and they need healthcare just like the rest of us.
The human rights body made the call following the detection of 400 suspected tuberculosis (TB) cases among persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Pasay City Jail, based on their X-ray results. Wards, inmates, and prisoners are more accurate and appropriate terms—that’s the reason why these facilities are called prisons.
Currently, the concerned PDLs are being isolated for conclusive testing.
“TB is a highly contagious disease that poses a serious health risk, particularly in overcrowded and poorly ventilated environments such as prisons,” the CHR said in a statement.
“The high number of suspected TB cases among PDLs at Pasay City Jail highlights a critical public health issue that necessitates immediate and comprehensive action,” it added.
The Commission said the situation needs urgent action as TB “may spread both within the prison population and to the broader community”.
The country is still reeling from high temperatures, drought and other disasters caused by El Nino. Many have suffered heat stroke and other illnesses because of the heat. But can you imagine how the inmates in jails are coping with the increased temperature and hot weather?
Boils. That’s what they got from suffering the heat, amidst the ever-present problem of jail congestion.
The BJMP has reported that around 600 inmates were found to have boils or “pigsa” amid the severe heat that is also being injured in many jail facilities in the country.
According to BJMP spokesman Jail Chief Inspector Jayrex Bustinera, they are primarily monitoring the skin diseases that usually develop and spread among the prisoners during this season's hot weather.
There are also scaled up cases of hypertension and gastroenteritis. Others are skin or heat rashes, fungal infection and conjunctivitis or sore eyes.
The CHR said apart from the BuCor, the Pasay City Jail and relevant agencies must address the issue, it said.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Philippines has the world’s 11th largest prison population.
Between 2015 and 2021, the number of people detained in the corrections system increased by nearly 75 percent — from 94,691 to 165,528.
Citing the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Mandela Rules, the CHR said safety and security for prisoners, staff, service providers, and visitors must be ensured at all times.
Hence, PDLs should have access to the same level of medical care and treatment as the general population, including preventive measures and health screenings.
Bustinera assured that all 482 BJMP facilities across the nation are providing healthcare to their wards, with nurses on duty 24/7.
He also assured that the bureau has medicines for the inmates, but the budget for medication is not much. So they coordinate with the cities and towns where the facilities are located to augment their resources when it comes to medical care.
While we are on the topic of jails, we all know or heard about congestion in these detention facilities. But do we know the rate of congestion?
The BJMP spokesman said the rate of congestion is 334 percent. This was a decrease from the 370% congestion rate last year, and 600% congestion rate in 2018.
If it is any consolation, a total of 156 jails in the country are not congested, or their population is just right for their size.
The CHR continued with its reminder:
“To prevent similar health problems in jails, the Commission hopes that the BuCor will implement routine and comprehensive medical screenings for all PDLs upon entry and periodically during their incarceration to detect TB and other infectious diseases early. Access to accurate and rapid diagnostic tools to confirm infectious diseases promptly must also be ensured,” the commission said.
The CHR also urged the government to pass into law the creation of the country’s National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). The NPM is envisioned to carry out the important role of preventing torture, initiating reforms, and upholding domestic and international standards relating to prisoners, jails, and places of detention.
We need the House of Representatives and the Senate on this one.
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