Kumasi, 1st Aug.1999

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has presented a quantity of assorted drugs, worth two million cedis, to the Kumasi Central Prisons.

Mr Stephen Sondem, acting Ashanti Regional Director of CHRAJ said the Ghana Pharmacy Council donated the drugs (GPC) following a passionate appeal made to pharmaceutical companies to assist prisoners with drugs.

He said the appeal was made after an earlier visit of CHRAJ to the prisons during which it was noticed that apart from other sordid problems at the prisons, lack of drugs was the most paramount.

Mr Sondem said ailing prisoners sent to the hospitals did not have money to pay for drugs, due to the cash and carry system.

As a result of this, he added, most sick prisoners cannot combat diseases, with the infectious ones spreading to other in-mates.

He noted that the general conditions of the prisons in the country are not better and need urgent attention to remedy the situation.

"It behoves on all of us to assist in this direction since one does not know when he or she would land in prison".

The CHRAJ Regional Director debunked the notion that a convict does not have any right to enjoy, saying that the dignity of an individual, no matter how grievous the offence committed, is so important as it forms the basis of inalienable fundamental human rights.

Alhaji Ishak Nai, Ashanti Regional Director of Prisons thanked CHRAJ for its concern and assured that the drugs would be judiciously used.