Sdr: “Serious shortages in the distribution of drugs to Uta prison inmates”

“Pharmaceutical health care in the“ Ettore Scalas ”Prison of Cagliari-Uta is deficient, with shortages in the availability of medicines and aids and consequent delays in the distribution of drugs to prisoners. A situation that in recent months has often occurred causing concern among the families of persons deprived of their liberty ”. This was stated by Maria Grazia Caligaris, of the association “Socialism Rights Reforms”, making her own the reports of some family members worried about “the inadequacy of assistance to people who do not have the opportunity to independently draw on treatments and therapies”.

“It is not the first time – Caligaris observes – that there are shortages in the availability of drugs in the Cagliari prison. A problem that probably recurs at fixed intervals for a deficient organization. The responsibility for the supply of drugs in the penitentiary health center lies with the ATS. In fact, every month the Prison House sends requests to have the necessary medicines guaranteed as well as various aids including gauze, scalpels, cannulas, plasters, cotton wool, test tubes, tubes, disinfectants. These are essential materials to guarantee assistance to around 560 people (22 women) and to staff when the need arises. However, obviously the supplies are not always complete and therefore adequate to the requests “.

“The lack of devices – stresses the SDR exponent – puts a strain not only on patients, often with severe psychiatric disorders, but also on healthcare professionals. To obviate the inconvenience, drugs are prescribed with prescriptions, a practice which, although it is foreseen and authorized, on a large scale causes an increase in costs without guaranteeing a better quality of service also because many drugs and aids are not prescribable. of the Health Service and the purchase through the pharmacies of the district determines an extension of the times of administration of the therapies “.

“It is hardly necessary to remember that health is a constitutional right. It must be guaranteed to all citizens. In a period in which the COVID19 pandemic is creating serious problems for everyone’s life and waiting for vaccination to be extended to prison operators and all prisoners, the shortcomings in the availability of drugs – concludes Caligaris – must be immediately addressed. The hope is that the regional health councilor will take charge of it and intervene promptly to solve the problem ”.

–