Deputies call for proper prison medical service

THE House Human Rights Committee yesterday called on the Health Ministry to take immediate steps to improve the Central Prison’s medical services.

Over the past fortnight, the Committee visited the prison twice and spotted a number of problems, especially in the medical services offered.

“We discussed the issue and found that there are some serious shortcomings,” Committee Chairman Sophocles Fyttis of DIKO explained after the meeting.

“For this reason, the Committee concluded on a demand to the Health Ministry to immediately start upgrading the services,” he added.

According to Fyttis, there are currently one pathologist, one psychologist and an insufficient number of nurses operating at the prison. In 2007 alone, the pathologist had to examine 6,063 patients.

The Committee has unanimously requested the preparation of a study by the Health and Justice Ministries for the creation of a medical centre that will, among other things, offer satisfactory drug rehabilitation treatment.

“We will contribute to these efforts as much as we can,” Fyttis promised.

According to data submitted by the prison’s pathologist yesterday, he currently sees an average of 40 to 50 patients every day, while up until recently when more nursing staff was employed, he had to do so by himself.

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