With 70 prisoners and seven jail officials tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Punjab Prisons Department has chalked out a three-pronged strategy — comprising Prevention, Screening-Identification and Treatment-Mitigation — to effectively combat the COVID-19 situation in the prisons across the State.
For the same, a state level monitoring team and district level monitoring teams have already been constituted to monitor the situation and address the problems being faced by the staff as well as prisoners in day-to-day functioning at the ground level.
As on July 19, as many as 1,362 officials have been tested, out of which reports of 564 have been received and seven found positive and reports of 821 personnel are still pending. Nearly 70 prisoners have been found positive in state’s jails.
Spokesperson said: “As per results so far, none of the prisoners seem to have contracted COVID-19 inside the jails as their contact could be traced to another new admission prisoner.”
Random testing of prisoners has already begun in jails since July 19, said the spokesperson adding that resultantly, 5,479 prisoners have been tested and reports of 4,287 prisoners have come out negative and reports of rest of the prisoners are still awaited.
Talking about the first part of the strategy — prevention, an official spokesperson said that in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions, around 11,500 prisoners have been released on parole or interim bail since March 2020 as per the recommendations made by the high-powered committee constituted by the Apex Court.
Besides, six special jails at Bathinda, Barnala, Patti, Pathankot, Ludhiana, Women Jail Ludhiana have been declared to admit all new admission prisoners, only after getting tested for COVID-19.
“After having been quarantined in Special Jails for 14 days, they are re-tested, and then sent to regular jails in case their report comes to be negative,” said the spokesperson adding that this novel measure is well appreciated during a video conferencing of Heads of Prisons of India organized by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).
Spokesperson said that apart from these, in wake of maximum COVID-19 cases coming from Ludhiana, Sangrur district jail has been vacated to further quarantine all the prisoners of Special Jail Ludhiana for 14 days, re-test them for third time, and then send to regular jails.
As a part of creating awareness amongst the prisoners, posters and banners depicting causes, symptoms, prevention, screening and treatment have been circulated in jails.
“Prisons staff and medical officers are being imparted proper training and the premises of jail are regularly disinfected to ensure safety of prisoners,” said the spokesperson.
Adequate equipment or material has been made available to deal with COVID-19 including 50,000 masks made in jails and equivalent number provided by other institutions, NGOs etc. Nearly, 7000 litre of sanitizer and oxy-meters have also been provided to all jails. As many as, 920 body suits have been provided by Khalsa Aid and 50 PPE kits donated by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Chandigarh.
Spokesperson said that at least two masks have been provided to each prisoner and special care is being taken of high-risk prisoners.
To keep the further spread of contagion under check, interviews (mulakaats) have been completely suspended and these are now being done through WhatsApp video calling, in addition to e-Mulakaat through e-Prisons software.
Detailed instructions have already been issued to all the prison officials to avoid going to places other than their own homes while on leave, and in case of exigencies, they have to inform the head of the jail.
On the aspect of screening and identification, the spokesperson said that all the prisoners are tested before admitting them in any of the Special Jails.
Temporary jails have been declared in various buildings or police stations in the state to keep new admission prisoners after getting their samples for testing and till the report of test are received.
Likewise, recently the testing of all officials has been made mandatory.
Highlighting the facet of treatment and mitigation as a part of three-pronged strategy, the spokesperson said that Alternate Isolation Facilities have been put in place across the State.
“In case, a prisoner is found positive in any jail, he is sent to the local isolation Center.
All the prisoners who shared barrack with the affected prisoner are shifted immediately to the concerned Alternate Isolation Facility for monitoring their health and isolate them from rest of the inmates,” said the spokesperson adding that these facilities have also been notified as Temporary Jails for this purpose.
A Standard Protocol has been devised and circulated in all the jails which is to be followed in case any prisoner/staff is found affected inside the jail, added the spokesperson.