Prisoners allege 'Panadol treatment' for all diseases

RAWALPINDI:

Prisoners and under trial inmates lodged in Central Jail Adiala have complained that the jail hospital and medical staff are giving "two Panadol tablets for every illness".

Inmates produced before Rawalpindi's sessions, civil and special courts from Adiala Jail, along with their relatives, said the intense heat had caused prisoners to fall ill.

They claimed that in barracks housing around 300 prisoners, only two or three fans were installed and were blowing hot air.

According to the inmates, whether a prisoner suffers from nosebleeds, headaches, flu, fever, malaria or any other minor illness due to the severe heat, they are handed only two Panadol tablets.

They alleged that "Panadol has become the cure for every disease".

The inmates and relatives demanded that teams of doctors from government hospitals should visit the jail every week during the heatwave and provide proper medicines.

They also appealed to philanthropists to donate room coolers, fans and blocks of ice for the prison, calling it a noble act.

Relatives of inmates, including Sherbaz Khan, Mastung Shah and Gulfraz, said female prisoners also suffered from women-related illnesses but were being treated by male doctors who prescribed medicines such as Panadol and Disprin.

They demanded that two special teams of female doctors should visit the jail every week. However, jail hospital staff denied the allegations.