UNOCI provides medical treatment and medicines to prisoners in Daloa

On the initiative of the Penitentiary Unit of the Rule of Law Section of the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), 526 detainees in Daloa prison on Tuesday, 17 September 2013, received medical treatment and medicines from the Bangladeshi Contingent based in the city.

The operation was part of the Rule of Law Section's support to the Ivorian penitentiary system, a representative of the Section explained. "{We carried out this operation because we have noticed that the resources allocated to prisoners' health has decreased significantly and we wanted to help restore their right to good health care}," he added.

The medical consultations were supported by a team from the General Hospital in Daloa and pharmacies in the City of Antilopes who provided some medicines for the prisoners.

The registrar of Daloa Prison, Toua Ouattara, who said he was pleasantly surprised by the action expressed his profound gratitude to the UN peacekeeping mission. « We welcome this initiative by UNOCI.. This is the first time that an organisation, other than the State, is providing medical assistance to prisoners. Providing medical treatment for detainees is a way of giving hope to some of those who had lost it," }he said.

His words were echoed by some of the prisoners, one of whom added: '' {Our hope is that the Government will improve conditions in the prison by providing medicines to the prison clinic}".