CPDRC opens new infirmary for inmates

CEBU, Philippines - Being behind bars should not deprive the inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) their right to health.

This is what the management of the CPDRC upholds as it opened yesterday the provincial jail’s newly-built infirmary constructed as an extension of the jail facility.

Marco Toral, Capitol’s consultant on jail management, said the health facility caters to inmates whose health conditions need immediate attention. He stressed, though, that those with serious conditions would be brought to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Asthma and fever are the common illnesses experienced by some inmates, said Toral.

The infirmary has a 10-bed capacity. Its instruments and equipment were obtained from provincial and district hospitals while the medicines were provided by the provincial government.

”Naa na man sila’y (hospitals) wa na’y gamit nga mga butang, beds, mao among gipangayo, atong giayo para diri sa atong infirmary,” Toral said during the Provincial Information Office-organized Kapistorya forum held yesterday at CPDRC.

Jail warden Romeo Manansala, who attended the forum, said the Capitol hired a doctor who is on-call from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, and five nurses for the two shifts, day and night, to man the infirmary.

Toral disclosed that the construction of the infirmary was done by the inmates themselves who were each paid by the jail management for P300 per week for the labor.

“Naa ma’y kabalo na pod diri nga electrician, builder, ug painter. Sila na lang atong gipatrabaho,” he said.

The CPDRC currently houses a total of 2,360 inmates, which is way beyond its 1,600 capacity. It has a total of 119 cells.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III in previous interviews pointed out the need to construct an infirmary to look after the health of the inmates, considering that the jail has become “congested,” which might cause rapid spread of contagious diseases.

In June last year, at least 50 cases of measles were reported inside CPDRC. Inmates inflicted with the disease were made to stay in isolation rooms for medical interventions.

The blessing of the infirmary was done yesterday. In line with the rites, CPDRC inmates also introduced a new product of their bakeshop - CPDRC’s “Classic Hopia.” — Michael Vencynth H. Braga/NSA (FREEMAN)