FEMALE INMATES IN SINDH: A NEGLECTED POPULATION IN THE MEDICAL POLICIES OF PAKISTAN
Hamida Narijo, Muhammad Abdullah Avais and Aijaz Ali Wassan
University of Sindh, Pakistan
: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry
Abstract
In Pakistan and especially in Sindh province, the health care facilities are not satisfactory according to the needs of the female inmates as compared to available health facilities for female inmates in developed countries. Health care facilities of female inmates in jails or prisons of Pakistan are neglected and ignored in government policies. The governments neither pay attention to provide standard health facilities to female inmates nor are their problems addressed by social scientists in Pakistan. Therefore, the voice of female inmates is missing and could not draw the attention of researchers or policy makers. The population of women as compared to male inmates is fewer and similarly, they have less or inadequate medical facilities in prisons or jails. The present exploratory research is conducted in Sindh province of Pakistan and all 113 female inmates (Convicted: 28 & Under-trial: 85) from all prisons/ jails were interviewed. The average age of inmates was: 33.60 & SD: + 10.97. The results indicate that the majority of respondents, 71.7%, were married, 53.1% illiterate and 60% respondents’ belonged to rural regions. 53% respondents were not satisfied with the providing health facilities and 63% not satisfied with the quality of providing food in prisons. 16.8% respondents were suffering from Hepatitis-C, 15% high blood pressure, 9.7% hepatitis-B, and 2.7% tuberculosis. 72% respondents shared that their place of imprisonment has not sufficient light facility and 67.3% shared that their place of imprisonment is not airy. Therefore, the government should provide basic health facilities to female inmates and their place of imprisonment must be airy and lighted.
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