HEALTH CARE OF PRISONERS: ETHICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS
HEALTH CARE OF PRISONERS: ETHICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS

Summary/Abstract: The author of the paper analysed the ethical and the organizational aspects of the health care in prison. The respect for the fundamental rights of prisoners entails the provision to prisoners of preventive treatment and health care equivalent to those provided to the community in general. The health care of prisoners is a continuing challenge for the prison systems. An inadequate level of health care can lead rapidly to situations falling within the scope of the term “inhuman and degrading treatment”. Poor health care of prisoners as noted by the Committee for Prevention of Torture is due to the lack of independence, lack of resources, lack of properly trained health care staff, low standard of hygiene and low standard of prison facilities. The author draw attention to the United Nations Standard Minimal Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), the European Prison Rules, and the Recommendation No. R (98) 7 Concerning the Ethical and Organisational Aspects of Health Care in Prison and other international documents regarding health care of prisoners. The author discussed the growing trend of integrating prison health care into community health‐care services, which is a development that has been seen as a step in the right direction by the Council of Europe. In brief, the author analysed the health care in the Macedonian prisons and the legislation regarding this issue with suggestions and proposal for its improvement.

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