Dysentery claims prisoners’ lives

THREE prisoners died and two others admitted to the Mt Hagen General Hospital due to dysentery type symptoms outbreak at Baisu jail in Western Highlands.
More than 10 others, who were allegedly down with the same symptoms, were on medication but still locked up behind bars.
The three prisoners died within a period of six days. One died last Friday, another on Monday while the other on Wednesday night.
According to correctional officers from Baisu, they transported two very ill prisoners to the Mt Hagen Hospital last Friday but one died along the way while the other was admitted.
The sources said on Sunday they transported 15 other prisoners with the same dysentery type symptoms to the hospital and admitted to the cholera ward in the morning but one tricked a lone guard and
escaped while going to the toilet.
The officers said after the escape, they came and took the 10 prisoners back that same afternoon allowing only five, including the one admitted last Friday, to remain in the ward.
They said since two of the five admitted were high risk prisoners, they came back in the night around 10pm and took them back to Baisu.
However, on Monday morning, health authorities went to Baisu and suspected the outbreak as cholera and sprayed the jail compound with anti-cholera spray detergents.
The officers said two prisoners admitted to the hospital were in very critical condition.
They claimed that those admitted at the hospital were guarded by other trusted prisoners.
The officers said many officers put on duty to guard sick prisoners at the hospital were reluctant to take up their duty because on numerous occasions they were never picked up on time during the shift.
Jail commander Supt Simon Sobaim when contacted yesterday said he would get back with further information but he did not.