Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Master health check-up for prisoners

MADURAI: In a bid to study the health profile of prisoners and maintain a medical record, the State Prison Department plans to conduct ‘master health check up’ for 17,000 plus inmates lodged in different jails across the State.

“Specialised healthcare is required for prisoners. Many prisoners die at a young age due to heart attack or other ailments. ‘Master health check up’ will help in avoiding preventable deaths by enabling early medical intervention,” Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) A. Subramanian told The Hindu on Monday.

He said corporate hospitals had shown interest in conducting the health check-up free of cost as part of their social obligations. In Coimbatore, K.G. Hospital had agreed in principle to conduct the diagnosis for inmates at the central prison. “Early detection will help in curing diseases effectively. The objective is on the lines of ‘Varumun Kappom’ scheme.”

Mr. Subramanian said steps were taken to simplify procedures in taking seriously ill prisoners to hospitals. “We have observed that it takes nearly an hour to shift a prisoner from the cell to an ambulance before being taken to hospital. By overlooking documentation and other rules of shifting an inmate out of prison, optimum utilisation of the ‘golden hour’ (first one hour after a trauma) can be made, which will be useful in saving lives in emergencies such as heart attacks.”

The government had allocated Rs. 9 crore for modernising surveillance system and improving facilities at central prisons. Surveillance cameras would also be installed in the visitors/interview area to ensure transparency. A negligible number of prisoners were found to be HIV positive and special care was being taken to treat them. Individual skills of prisoners were being identified and promoted. “Besides creating awareness of various issues, we are engaging them in income-generation activities,” he said.

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