The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday said it had asked the Gujarat government to improve health facilities at Surat’s Lajpur Central Jail after a large number of prisoners were found to be suffering from tuberculosis (TB).
The NHRC said, “In view of a large number of TB patients in Lajpur Central Jail”, it had recommended the Director General, Prisons to conduct TB and HIV/AIDS screening of all prisoners every six months and provide them treatment.
“The commission has also recommended that the government should consider reducing the punishment to critically ill patients on a priority basis,” the statement said.
lack of medical care
The directions of NHRC come after a team led by member Jyothika Kalra visited. The team assessed the situation after a magisterial inquiry into the death of a 21-year-old undertrial prisoner due to TB, in which several prisoners were found to be suffering from the disease and lack of medical care.
The NHRC asked the Gujarat High Court registrar to “ensure high speed network before proceeding from the jail and the prisoners should be called from the jail at the stage of examination of witnesses so that they can assist their counsel in cross-examination”.
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