By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY,
October 23 (PIA) -- Twenty inmates died mostly from cardio-pulmonary
arrest in September alone in various jail facilities in Central
Visayas, making the region the highest in case fatality rate among
detainees nationwide.
From January to
September this year, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP-7)
registered 60 deaths in the region mostly from heart diseases.
There are 34 jail
facilities in Central Visayas under the auspices of the BJMP-7, of
which 17 are based in Cebu.
“We are appealing to
pharmaceutical companies and drug stores to donate hypertensive drugs and even
those for diabetes for our inmates,” urged Ma. Roselle Escaño, senior jail
officer II of the BJMP-7 as the country celebrates the 20th National Correction
Consciousness Week from October 23-30.
Escaño said the
allocation for medicines per inmate is only at P5 per day.
“The amount only covers
medicines for common ailments such as flu, colds and headache and does not
include drugs for hypertension and diabetes,” said the senior jail officer.
Most of the detainees
are poor and cannot afford to buy maintenance medicines for hypertension and
diabetes, said Escaño.
Escaño said the health
condition of inmates is further aggravated by over congestion of detention
cells. The most congested jail facilities in the region are the Mandaue City
Jail and the Cebu City Jail.
Though Escaño did
not specify which province in Central Visayas recorded the most number of
deaths, the senior jail officer surmised the bulk of the fatalities come from
Cebu which had the highest number of inmate population at 7,001 out of the
9,000 inmate populace in the entire region.
Escaño said most of
those who died were aged 30 years and above.
“For inmates who need
maintenance medication, this will already be the lookout of the immediate
family,” said Escaño.
The BJMP-7 custodian of
the detainee who is rushed to the hospital for urgent medical care is even
responsible for the processing of document for the indigent detainee through
the Department of Social Welfare and Development so hospital fee could be
waived, bared Escaño.
“They (inmates) are
still human beings and need proper care and attention,” as we appeal to
kind-hearted people and organizations including pharmaceutical companies and
drug stores to donate medicines for hypertension and diabetes to the prisoners,
said Escaño. (rmn/fcr/PIA-7)