Dept needs qualified personnel

THE Department of Correctional Services needs qualified people to assess the health status and run training courses and other programmes aimed at rehabilitating detainees, actingcommissioner Stephen Pokanis says.
“We will start recruiting physiologists, doctors, social workers and physiatrists to work with the prisoners who suffered from mental illness and others as people are suffering in the prisons,” he said.
There will also be qualified people to run technical and vocational education training (Tevt) training and Bible studies.
According to Pokanis, mental illnesses not only affected prisoners but officers as well , who were working in prisons usually under heavy workloads and pressure.
“These officers operate in high stress environments as they are dealing directly with the inmates in communicating with them from morning till afternoon and the officers can have mental breakdowns,” he said.
Pokanis said a sub-health centre would be built at Buimo prison including a TB ward to address TB cases among inmates as well as other diseases in prison.
“This health facility will not only cater for the prison population but also the surrounding communities to access basic health services,” he said.
He announced that two health extension officers were already identified and arrangements were in place for a qualified doctor.
“If all is well, we are looking at equipping the health facilities with qualified personnel and that will only fall within our budget.
“The end result is that we want a programme that achieves positive results.”
Meanwhile, Buimo commander Supt Judy Tara raised the concerns regarding some prisoners missing out on the programmes.
“Rehabilitation programmes are mainly targeted at the low risk prisoners,” she said.
Tara said during work parties not all prisoners took part and many times these prisoners are locked down in their compound 24-hours a day, week in and out.