Health Care Delivery System for Inmates of the Nigeria Prison: a Case Study of Nigerian Prison Service Ado Ekiti
CHAPTER ONE
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objectives of the study are to examine health care delivery system for inmates of the Nigeria prison. Other specific objectives of the study include;
- To examine the health condition of prison inmates.
- To assess the environmental condition of Nigeria prisons.
- To assess the benefit to effective health care delivery in Nigeria prisons.
- To examine the Nigerian prison reforms.
- To examine the challenges to achieving an effective health care delivery system for prison inmates.
- To recommend ways of improving health care delivery in Nigeria prisons.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
The prison or penitentiary is a state or federally operated facility for the incarceration of felony offenders sentenced by the criminal courts (Siegel, 2005). Incarceration in prison serves three major functions to the state. These are to punish the criminals, to deter others from committing crime and to reform the criminal for re-integration into the society. This is why it is often stated that prison as a correction ground has a remarkable impact on the inmates, both positively and negatively. However, the negative outweighs the positive. The negative impacts of prison on the wellbeing of incarcerated persons can be seen in terms of overcrowding which has reached an alarming situation in Nigerian prisons. Overcrowding is a situation whereby the prison capacity outnumbers the prison population. This situation put a strain on facilities and creates problems such as accommodation, classification of inmates, floor space, medical care, bed and beddings, ventilation, personal hygiene, sanitation, etc. In fact, report by the Reformer (2009) shows that in the last few decades, inmates’ population in Nigerian prisons has grown substantially to the extent of leading to overcrowding. This assertion was collaborated by Amnesty International Report (2012) which shows that in 2012, there were 49,000 inmates in two hundred and thirty four prisons out of which 20% were convicts while the rest were awaiting trial inmates. The overcrowding of prison alters the psychological, physiological and behavioural well-being of the inmates (Crystal, 2004).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine health care delivery system for inmate of the Nigeria prisons.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment, the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
DATA ANALYSIS
The data collected from the respondents were analyzed in tabular form with simple percentage for easy understanding.
A total of 133(one hundred and thirty three) questionnaires were distributed and 133 questionnaires were returned.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to examine health care delivery system for inmates of the Nigeria prisons.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of health care delivery for inmates in Nigeria prisons.
Summary
This study presents a picture of what the Nigerian prison system and its administration look like in respect of health care delivery system. It is loathsome and disheartening to know that fellow human beings are subjected to inhumane treatment. Every prisoner regardless of his or her offence deserves a better treatment in whatever prison environment he or she finds himself or herself in respect of health facilities. Enough of seeing the prisons as mere warehouse for the criminal and as instrument for administering cruelty and settling scores with subversive elements. It is time the Nigerian government faces up to its responsibilities for those in its prisons. The prisoners deserve humane and just treatment in order to reform, remold and reintegrate them back to the society. Improving the situation of inmates in the Nigerian prisons requires an effective and functioning judiciary. Without this, the practice of keeping large numbers of inmates awaiting trial in Nigerian prisons for extended periods of time which may lead to the deterioration in the health of the individuals. The judiciary should endeavor to follow due process in accordance with Nigeria’s national, regional and international obligations of fair trial. It is hoped that this paper will provoke the necessary actions from the concerned authorities to salvage the very bad conditions of Nigerian prisons and the inmates there in.
Conclusion
A more holistic prison reform that is focused on all stakeholders including the prisoners is a necessity in bringing about significant changes in promoting prison health as well as making the Nigerian prison humane within a limited time. In addition, the constitutional rights of the accused need to be reinterpreted in such a way that undue delay and incarcerations of awaiting trialsthat has contributed to prisons overcrowding in Nigeria will be minimised. More judges could be employed even on part-time basis to facilitate quite delivery of judgments (Enuku, 2001). While trying to make prison more humane it should not be at the expense of the larger public interest. At the same time the prison should b geared towards reforming the prisoners to better being for themselves and the larger society. For instance the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy started by the Obasanjo administration could be extended to those in prisons especially the youths and the women in incarceration. If properly done quite a number of the prisoners who are mostly from poor economic background will be better after leaving the prison. However, introducing such programme will require a reorientation of the prison staff from what they have been socialized into new norms. More qualified hands need to be recruited into the Nigerian prison service especially in the drive towards professionalism and maintenance of social order. This will affect the quality of staff and interaction outcomes as they relate more often with the prisoners than any other government agency. In the final analysis, alternative to prison such as the parole system, community service may be better options than imprisonment. Alternative measures such as the ones mentioned here when properly designed and implemented within the socio-cultural context of the Nigerian society may be cost effective and functional than the present system
Recommendation
Haven successfully completed the study; the researcher therefore put forward the following recommendation; Programs and policies that will increase the ability of prison inmates to cope with their challenges should be put in place by the government and nongovernment organizations. Government and non-government organizations should provide and improve necessary psychological and guidance services in prisons. This is necessary to help inmates to cope with the challenges of their incarceration. Government should take necessary measures to reduce the long period of awaiting trial in prison custody because of the enormous challenges faced by the individuals and their difficulty in coping effectively with the challenges after all, some of them are innocent
Reference
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