Analysis of Prison Health Services in Relation to Strengthen the Service Delivery

Introduction: Strengthening of health care provision to prisoners and detainees is a paramount need in the present context. Health status of detainees can affect the health states of the prisoners as well as the community. At present, Sri Lankan prisons are overcrowded. Therefore, the prisoners are vulnerable for various communicable diseases. This is an eye-opening approach to strengthen the prison health.

 

Objective: To analyze the prison health services in relation to strengthen the prison health services.

 

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in both the Medical services division of Ministry of Health where the Director In charge of Prison Health is attached and the Prison Hospital, Welikada. Both qualitative and quantitative method were used for data collection .

 

Results: There are deficiencies in human resources including vacancy of Director In charge of Prison Health. The process Notification of Communicable diseases has been started recently in prison hospital Welikada.

 

Conclusion: Ministry of Health should contribute to develop policies in prison department when it affects prisoner's health and should streamline the human resource management including filling the vacancies of "Director In Charge of Prison Health".