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"Medical prison a first for Alor Star"
The
Star (www.thestar.com.my)
(21/07/06)
KAJANG: The Alor Star Prison will become Malaysia's first medical prison
providing treatment and care for prisoners with critical illnesses like
AIDS, cancer and tuberculosis, apart from physical deformities and mental
conditions.
Prisons Department Security Division officer Supri Hashim said prisoners in
need of medical attention, rehabilitation and constant monitoring of their
health would be put there.
“There are 1,800 prisoners who are HIV positive, 150 with tuberculosis, 10
with hepatitis B, 280 with mental problems and 100 with physical
deformities,” he said here yesterday.
The Alor Star Prison was chosen partly because it is beside the Alor Star
Hospital and thus convenient for prisoners who need emergency treatment.
Supri said the idea was mooted after a visit to a medical prison in Thailand
recently.
“We exchanged ideas with the Thais on the staffing aspects and other
facilities for the first medical prison in the country,” he said.
Among the new positions to be created are medical officers, health officers
and dedicated officers to run the medical prison.
“The prison procedures, too, will see changes to facilitate medical care for
prisoners,” he said. — Bernama
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