The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has revealed plan to embrace a Public-Private-Partnership for production of drug to meet the demand of the increasing inmates population across the country.
Controller General of the Service, Haliru Nababa, revealed this Monday in Abuja while speaking at the 2022 Service wide training of frontline health and medical officers.
Nababa said he has approved the production of quality table water in Custodial Centres for inmates use and rehabilitation programming, adding that hair hygiene and general sanitation is also on the saddle of strategic plan for the Service towards achieving health for all inmates.
According to the NCoS boss, health service in NCoS is gender sensitive across all correctional commands as ICRC can confirm.
“Better days lies ahead as the Service embraces the Public-Private-Partnership for production of drug to meet the demand of the increasing inmates population.
“Worth mentioning is the hygiene promotion programme instituted at diverse Correctional Centres. The production of hygiene materials at Maximum Security Custodial Centre Kirikiri was initiated by ICRC but currently being sustained by Water and Sewage Unit.
The products assessed fit by the Health Directorate, are approved by CGC for Pharmaceutical unit to procure relevant items for redistribution to inmates nationwide.
“As a policy, the evacuation of fecal matter, using trucks or buckets is completely being phased out. Biogas and Anaerobic Baffle Reactors (ABR) are now the preferred in-si-tu wastewater treatment method for improved environmental health in Correctional Centres.
“The construction of Biogas facilities and standard gas operated kitchen have gained traction at Maximum Security Custodial Centre Kirikiri, Portharcourt, Enugu, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Janguza, Karshi, MSCC Lafia and Gombe. Biogas has also made tremendous impact in the systemic cost reduction of sewage treatment as well as mitigation on spread of waterborne and contact diseases. Correctional Centres are now friendly environments to our teaming visitors and host communities, where biogas is constructed.
“Meanwhile, it is an open secret that one of the modern Correctional Centres in Africa are being constructed at Janguza (Kano),Ode (Rivers) and Karshi (Abuja) in a bid to decongest Custodian Centres for healthy habitat.”
Nababa urged the health and medical staff in general to sustain the good relationship with other personnel for quality health delivery.
“Your determination has yielded credible fruits and there is the possibility in the shortest future for NCoS to build and manage a world class referral tertiary hospital for the protection of inmates and access to medical services for staff, their families and the general public at large. This is the vision I see the health Corp pursue in the next decade. You can count on me to create the leverage for you to achieve this goal, inline with Nigerian laws and the MDGs.”
While commending the federal government for adequate provision of medical support for his agency, Nababa said: “For the umpteenth time I am glad to announce that there is no single case of COVID-19 recorded in custodial centres in Nigeria right from when it was officially declared a pandemic till date!
“This feat underscores the rich culture of health practices within the Nigerian Correctional Service to the credit of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Indeed, such achievements does not come by accident. First of all, Professional Correctional Management with focus on inmates protection play vital role.
“Secondly, a broad based synergy of Correctional Service health staff and the entire health emergency preparedness response mechanism of Nigeria contributes richly to this globally celebrated health delivery status.”
