A two-day seminar on “Health Care in Detention” was recently organized by the ICRC in collaboration with J&K Prisons Department and Directorate of Health Services in Srinagar and Jammu.

The seminar was aimed at providing a platform to discuss, share and learn about experiences and challenges related to issues of health care in prisons. On the occasion, Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr Baljeet Singh Pathania spoke about the  importance of coordination between the Prisons Department and Health Department to meet the medical requirement of the prison inmates. The event was attended by representatives from the Prisons Department, Directorate of Health Services, Government Medical College, Social Welfare Department, Jail Superintendents, medical officers visiting prisons and psychiatrists. The discussions were spear-headed by ICRC’s Dr. Raed Abu Rabi, who is a Geneva based expert on health care in detention.

The discussions during the event emphasized the importance of medicare in prisons for proper maintenance of the health of inmates. The ICRC has been working in places of detention across the world for nearly 100 years and has gathered vast experience over the years in dealing with issues of health care in prisons. In India, the ICRC has been visiting prisons since 1995. The seminar therefore was held as part of efforts to better address the health needs of detainees in prisons and provide for adequate means and methods to achieve this goal.