Medicine shortage hits prisons in Ashanti Region

An acute shortage of medicines has hit infirmaries of Prisons across the Ashanti Region, Chaplin of the Kumas Central Prison, Rev. Canon Paa Kwesi Ansah, has revealed.

The situation, which he said has been frequent, is affecting healthcare delivery to inmates of prisons in the region.

He blamed the shortage on insufficient budgetary allocation from the government.

Speaking at a short ceremony to receive foodstuff and cosmetics from a philanthropist, Rev. Kwasi Ansah revealed officers are sometimes forced to use their own money to buy drugs for the inmates whenever the need arises.

The items worth GHC30,000 was donated by the owner of St Monica’s Company, Mama Serwaah Nyarkoh.

They are to be all the prisons in the region including the Kumasi Central, Manhyia and Amanfrom prisons. Meanwhile, the prisons in the region are already confronted with congestion.

The numbers at Kumasi Central Prison alone keep soaring.

The maximum 800 inmates for both convicts and remand prisoners at the facility has risen to 1,802 inmates.

Rev Kwasi Ansah has therefore appealed to individuals and organizations to support the government in meeting the health and other needs of inmates.

Mama Nyarkoh called on the society to help the needy, noting her donation is to support government’s effort in the spirit of mothers’ day celebration.

She was appalled at the conditions at the prisons visited.