The District Health Authority (DHA) formally took over the control of Adiala Jail’s hospital on Thursday after approval from the Punjab Home Department. The decision has been taken to provide better healthcare services to 6,000 inmates.
The central jail’s hospital will have nine doctors on duty to assist with morning, evening, and night shifts. It will also have up-to-mark medical amenities, including ultrasound and X-ray machines.
The Punjab government will issue a separate budget for doctors, paramedical staff and medicinal and electro-medical equipment. A regular Medical Superintendent (MS) is being appointed at the hospital which will have five doctors in the morning shift, two in the evening and as many in the night shift besides supporting staff.
Consultant doctors will be present in OPD and emergency of the jail’s hospital. A psychiatrist will also be part of the medical staff to treat inmates having mental disorders. Laboratory test facilities including X-ray and ultrasound are also being upgraded.
DHA Chief Executive Dr Ijaz Ahmed said that previously, the provincial home department and the jail department had administrative control over the jail’s Hospital. However, the hospital lacked modern medical facilities because of the increasing number of inmates and their illnesses.
The prisoners were transferred to other hospitals outside the prison, which also created security problems, he said, adding now the jail’s hospital would have an up-to-mark hospital and that the DHA would have its administrative control.
Dr Ijaz further said that a separate budget is being sanctioned for medicines, elective medical equipment and human resources for the hospital, adding the authority would make all possible efforts to ensure top-quality treatment facilities for prisoners.
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Constructed in 1986, the central jail of Rawalpindi is located near Dehagal Village on Adiala Road and 13 miles from away the District Courts. In 1994, the facility was completely operational with residential facilities for inmates. The Adiala Jail was originally designed to accommodate 4,337 inmates, but after an extension, it can currently house 6,000 inmates.
Earlier, the Jail in Rawalpindi was situated close to the District Courts and offices of District Administration. Later, the old Jail was demolished and Jinnah Park was built in its place.
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