FAISALABAD: After a spike in Covid-19 cases in Faisalabad, the jail officials have been directed to ensure availability of oxygen cylinders and other necessary equipment to deal with coronavirus patients at the prisons.

Through a letter sent to the superintendents of all jails of Faisalabad and Sargodha regions, Faisalabad Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Saeedullah Gondal said the third wave of the pandemic had shaken the country badly. He said India was in the grip of rampage of the pandemic.

Due to recent surge in Covid-19 case, he asked the superintendents to ensure the availability of all required medical facilities and protocols in hospitals of jails. Availability of oxygen cylinders in ample quantity in jail hospitals round the clock must be ensured coupled with availability of life-saving drugs, antibiotics, vitamin & calcium medicines, the letter reads.

The jail superintendents have also been asked to have enough quantity of soaps, washbasins, masks and sanitizers etc also. Checking of temperature and face masks of all visitors, prisoners and jail staff at the entry point of the jail would be ensured along social distancing among the prisoners, visitors and the staff, especially during the interview and luggage collection process.

The jail staff has also been directed to restrict the unnecessary movement of the prisoners and staff inside the jail and separate any suspected case from healthy inmates immediately. Random sampling of inmates has also been stressed by the DIG with the coordination of health department.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2021