The Enugu chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), aka Pyrates Confraternity, has called on philanthropists and groups to respond to the medical needs of inmates at the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Enugu, describing their situation as urgent.
The President of the state chapter, Mr. Joe Mazeli, made the call when the association visited the Custodial Centre to provide medical care to the inmates, as part of a free medical mission and community outreach program.
Mazeli noted that the medical outreach was central to the agenda of NAS in affecting the lives of less privileged persons and citizens in distress.
Applauding its partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mazeli said, “we would continue to seek partnership with other well meaning institutions to make live easier for members of the society, outside inmates in the Centre.
“Our partnership with other nonprofit associations and legal practitioners will extend to an evaluation of the possibility of offering free legal assistance to those who can’t afford legal representation.”
He said: “There are 2,087 males and 49 females on the list of awaiting trial. This alone outstrips the capacity of the centre. There are 2,707 male and 68 Female as Open Out Inmates. There are others.”
Calling for a decongestion of the facility, he said, “the issue of speedy dispensation of justice and trial has been in the front burner for too long. With over two thousand inmates in just one facility alone on awaiting trial, then we are in for a very long ride. The judiciary should speed up court processes and dispense justice fast and fairly.”
During the outreach, NAS doctors opened clinics and examined 91 inmates with various health challenges, and prescribed various courses of treatments.
One of the doctors observed that the “inmates suffer from malnutrition, different kinds of skin infections, which attest to the poor sanitary conditions of the facility and its inhabitants.”
In addition to checking the blood pressure and sugar level of inmates, the doctors dispensed different medications, such as antibiotics, anti-malarial, antipyretics, anti-helminthics, multivitamins, anti-hypertensive drugs, and dewormed about 300 persons including inmates and caregivers. The Centre also received various items like detergents and washing soaps, toiletries, exercise books and pens.
An NDLEA operative, DSN Chidiebere Egbogu, who spoke to some of the 144 inmates in the asylum section of the Centre, highlighted the dangerous impact of drug abuse in the society.
He stressed the need for inmates “to steer clear of unprescribed drugs while in the Centre, and adhere to the rehabilitative procedures initiated by the institution, as this is the only way to expedite your recovery.”
The Assistant Comptroller, Michael Anyanwu said that, “NAS medical outreach was timely and that it would impact greatly on the health condition of the inmates.”
He lamented the inadequacy of medical facilities available to the inmates and called on stakeholders and members of the public for more medical assistance.
According to him, the Center has its challenges and “urgently needs an ambulance. We generally need drugs to manage mental health issues, skin infections and common ailments. The facility has one resident doctor, four nurses and a doctor on national service.”
