Kerala human rights panel directs officials to ensure timely treatment to jail inmates

Thiruvananthapuram | The Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Monday gave strict instructions to the prison authorities here to ensure timely treatment to jail inmates.

Whenever prisoners needed medical help, they should be provided adequate treatment in the jail hospital, the Commission said. Panel chairperson, Justice Alexander Thomas gave the direction to the superintendent of the Poojappura Central Prison here, a statement from the commission said.

The panel gave this order on a complaint lodged by a prisoner alleging that he faced trouble in consulting a doctor.

In the complaint, the prisoner alleged that he recently suffered itching all over his body after he engaged in a drainage related work at the prison; but a fellow inmate, who was on duty at the jail hospital, didn't allow him to consult the doctor and seek treatment, the statement said.

However, the prison authorities rejected the allegation and said that everybody who came to the jail hospital was given a chance to meet the doctor. The prisoner who lodged the complaint was also provided the opportunity to meet the doctor, according to a report submitted by the central jail superintendent here, the statement added.

In its order, the panel directed the prison authorities to ensure that no inmate is denied treatment and that there will be no such complaints in the future, it said.