Inadequate budget hits ailing prisoners

KATHMANDU, Jan 24: Criminals serving terms at various prisons in the capital have been deprived of treatment as Prison Hospital at the Central Jail has run out of budget. 



The Prison Hospital has used up the annual budget allocated by the Department of Prison Management (DOPM) for the treatment of patients within the first six months of the current fiscal year itself.[break]

 

“We cannot provide any further treatment to prisoners if the government does not give us more budget,” said Superintendent of the Prison Hospital, Dr Kedar Narsingh KC.



According to Dr KC the Prison Hospital is not in a position to provide treatment to dozens of prisoners who are suffering from serious diseases.



Roshan Rai of Chitwan, is suffering from blood cancer. He is at the Central Jail serving time for murder.



“He needs chemotherapy. A vial of injection cost Rs 26, 000,” Dr KC said, adding, “He needs 42 vials, and we don´t have money for such expensive treatment.”  



According to Dr KC, Rai needs Rs 1,200,000 for treatment.



Rai is not an isolated case.



Paramjit Singh, an Indian national, at the same prison, is suffering from renal problems.



Both of his kidneys have failed, and he needs regular dialysis treatment. The Prison Hospital had been managing to send him to the National Kidney Center (NCC) for dialysis, which costs Rs 10, 000 for a week. But Dr KC said the hospital can no longer send him further for dialysis. The patient will die if he does not receive regular dialysis.



Baikhunta Khadka of Bhaktapur has a similar ailment. He needs dialysis treatment every week. He received dialysis once, but it is unclear whether he will receive further treatment.



Likewise Nanda Lal Mishra needs to undergo knee surgery, which requires more than Rs 600,000. The Prison Hospital asked him to wait for knee replacement.



The DOPM provided Rs 70, 00,000 to the Prison hospital for the ongoing fiscal year for the treatment of prisoners. The entire budget has already been used up.



The Prison Hospital provides treatment to prisoners of the Central Jail, Women Prison, Bhadra Prison, Nakhhu and the Dillibazaar Prison. More than 3,000 prisoners are serving terms in these prisons.



“I have informed the DOPM about the problem, but they have not responded till now,”Dr KC said. The Prison Hospital sends patients to the different hospital of Kathmandu. "We have to pay as normal patient to the hospitals. Sometimes, we also have to admit patients to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the private hospital, which is costly,” he said.

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