CHALLENGES OF HEALTH CARE PROVISIONING FOR INMATES IN NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICES: EVIDENCE FROM DOCUMENTARY SOURCES

Abstract

Health care is an essential service required by inmates of penal-correctional custodial facilities, especially given the precarious conditions of imprisonment. This paper analyses the level of health care provisioning in correctional (custodial) centres in Nigeria and identifies challenges and prospects for enhancing health care service delivery for inmates. Data were obtained from secondary sources, especially official publications of the Nigerian Correctional Service and other international organisations that provide yearly reports on prison conditions. Findings indicated that health care services are below the standard prescribed by international instruments. Lack of priority and resources accounted for most of the inadequacies. Effective health care in correctional custodial centres requires adequate and qualified personnel with appropriate work ethics and adequate infrastructure as well as effective collaboration and referral framework between health care services within the custodial centres and the federal or state ministries of health.