News Desk:
QUETTA: In Balochistan, there is no doctor for inmates in 10 out of a total of 12 prisons. No doctor and no medicines inside the jails of Balochistan have compounded the problems of the inmates languishing in prisons for years.
The medicines budget has also been reduced from rupees 6 million to 3 million, jail sources said. They requested anonymity since they were not authorized to speak to the media. Although, this was not verified by the officials of the prison department.
4 central and 8 district jails in Balochistan
There are 4 central and 8 district jails in Balochistan, where more than 3 thousand people are imprisoned, sources revealed. According to them, there are no doctors in 10 jails, including the largest jail of the province, Central Jail Mach, in these jails.
Chief Justice Balochistan High Court (BHC), Mr. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan had expressed displeasure over the non-appointment of a doctor in the Mach jail and he had ordered an immediate appointment.
Seven posts of doctors and 2 posts of LMOs in jails vacant
Instead of doctors, dispensers perform the duties of treating prisoners. According to the government of Balochistan, there are currently seven posts of doctors and two LMOs vacant in the prisons.
Non-availability of medical staff in Balochistan prisons and the shortage of medicines have also become a serious problem. Till 2020, the prison department was receiving medicines worth 60 lakhs from the provincial government.
However, despite the increase in the number of prisoners and the increase in the prices of medicines, the provincial government has reduced the funds given to the jail department for medicines from 60 lakhs to 30 lakhs.
Around 1100 prisoners languishing in the district jail Quetta
Quetta Jail with 1100 prisoners is being supplied with medicines worth Rs. 600,000 annually. Despite the orders of the Balochistan High Court to provide medical facilities in jails, the government is yet to improve health facilities in jails. The summary of appointing doctors in 10 prisons and increasing the quota of medicines to one and a half crore has been sent to the Department of Home and Health, the sources concluded.
