127 prisoners benefit from skin camp in Mangalore jail

Mangalore, October 31:As many as 127 jail inmates including 12 women prisoners benefitted from a free medical camp organised by the Prison Ministry India (PMI) in association with A J Institute of Medical Sciences in the Mangalore jail premises on Sunday.

The medical camp was organised following a demand from the jail inmates as a large number of inmates were reportedly suffering from skin related diseases. While all the medicines were provided free of cost to all the needy inmates by A J Institute of Medical Sciences Vice President Prashanth Shetty, the doctors' team too spent half a day in examining and treating the inmates. Prison Warden Kavitha too was present.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Dr Narendra J Shetty said that most of the prisones were suffering from Eczema, Scabies and fungal infections. “Lack of hygiene is the main cause of disease among the inmates,” he opined and added that sharing of clothes and bedsheets may also be the reason for the same.

PMI is a national voluntary organisation, which has been working for the release, renewal and rehabilitation of prisoners and its Mangalore unit was set up in 1999. Since then, the volunteers regularly visit the District Prison located near Canara College on Fridays, distribute books, magazines and other recreational facilities like carrom boards and Ludo, besides listening to the prisoners' woes. The PMI also organises camps such as skin camp, dental camp and general check up camp for the benefit of prisoners depending on their demand.