MDR-TB among inmates poses problems for court officials
In light of recent reports that there has been an increase in prisoners with Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB), the Advertiser approached the Boksburg Magistrates Court to inquire about their protocol when prosecuting these prisoners.
Henk Strydom, senior public prosecutor at the court, says they have approached the Boksburg Correctional Services to inquire which inmates in the prison have been diagnosed with this strain of TB, but correctional services would not release the names of the inmates, claiming that this information is privileged.
“We are in a serious predicament; we need to know when we are prosecuting a prisoner who has TB, as we need to take the necessary precautions,” says Strydom.
He explains that they have a different protocol to follow when prosecuting sick inmates; this is to protect the health of the employees at the court and the members of the public who are in the facility.
“The Department of Justice, Magistrates Commission and National Prosecuting Authority do have contingency plans to protect the officials when it comes to prosecuting ill inmates,” Strydom adds.
“We cannot, however, implement these protocols unless we are given prior notice that the inmate is infectious.”
Patrick Thobejane, spokesperson for the Boksburg Correctional Services, says that a correctional facility is a security environment and is governed by laws approved by parliament; this includes the inhabitants who, in this case, are our offenders.
“This institution has a high level of security classification processes regarding handling, accessing and releasing of information, be it of offenders or its operations,” he explains.
Therefore, doing so would unwise for anyone other than designated persons. It would not only be trampling on the rights of offenders involved, but also unlawful.
“Boksburg Correctional Services has a very competent team of health professionals who administer and manage all health-related issues affecting our offender population,” Thobejane says.
“In addition to that we have a list of external medical doctors who visit our centre on a daily basis, to handle more delicate situations.”
Thobejane adds that there are clear policies and directives on the handling, treatment, and transportation of ill offenders.
“We are confident that our medical team is doing fairly well in this regard and can assure the public that the humane treatment of our offenders remains on top of our list of our priorities,” he says.
Dr Rianna Louw, CEO of the Sizwe Tropical Diseases Hospital, says MDR-TB is resistant to two of the crucial TB drugs.
“MDR-TB is more dangerous than sensitive TB and needs to be treated longer, for a period of two years, and needs to be treated with more toxic drugs, but it can be cured,” she explains.
She says that the spread of the disease is airborne, between close and prolonged contact, while HIV increases the risk of both sensitive and resistant TB.
“Overcrowding, poverty, dust and poor ventilation contribute to the spread of TB, but proper treatment reduces the risk of spread until a patient is non-infectious,” says Louw. – @CarmenBoksburg
