A Non governmental organization known as Gift Health Plus incorporation, USA, in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Nigeria, have donated over five thousand doses of assorted drugs for inmates.
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One thousand eye glasses of different kinds were also donated to inmates by the organisations.
The donations were done at the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service Abuja during the flagg – off of the 2022 Nationwide audit of Custodial Centres and detention facilities by the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria.
Chairperson governing council of the National Human Rights Commission in Nigeria, Dr. Salamatu Suleiman, while delivering the items, said the drugs included, anti – malaria, anti – hypotension, Pre – natal, Multivitamin anti – biotics among others.
Dr. Suleiman identified the drug donor Gift Health Plus, as a great partner of the commission based in USA, which is committed to the protection of human rights of detainees.
She informed the leadership of the Correctional Service that, health officials attached to the NGO would be in the company of the human rights commission throughout the audit of the Custodial Centres and detention facilities across the country to provide medical services to inmates.
“I call on all staff of the Nigerian Correctional Service to give the commission’s Officials and the medical team of Gift Health Plus, the maximum cooperation that is needed to make sure that the medical outreach during the 2022 audit of Correctional Centres across the country is a successful one.”
Also, the Executive Director Gift Health Plus Mr. Chamberlain Nwnne, said, the NGO had the mission to provide holistic health care and quality of life enhancing services to the vulnerable populations including inmates at correctional facilities as well as IDPs within and outside Nigeria.
“We are committed to working with credible partners locally and internationally, while harvesting resources also both locally and internationally and re – direct them where they are needed.” Nwnne promised.
Controller General Nigeria Correctional Service, Mr. Halilu Nababa, represented by Deputy Controller Health and Welfare Mrs. Marylaurine Emmanuel, appreciated the Medical intervention, saying, it will go along way in complementing the medical efforts of the service.
Mr. Nababa noted that, health is a priority of the Correctional Service in addition to the provisions of vocational skills and education to inmates.
“To us, good prison health is good public health, because of the careless movement of inmates, visitors, and personnel in and out of the Custodial Centres, therefore, if the health of a prisoner is compromised, the chances are that transmissible diseases can easily spread through this channels to the general public.”
The national human rights commission and the NGO Gift Health Plus, are expected to visit kuje correctional center to offer medical services by monday next week.
