| Introduction
Inmates of federal prisons and correctional facilities
being but a part of the community at large are
in need of similar health care facilities as do
the other members of the community, hence the
need for physician's assistant to that respect.
In doing so, the objective of health care service
for the inmates of both the federal prisons as
well as the correctional facilities should be
to meet the requisite health goals, as well as
act as a liaison with the local jurisdictions
or state health authorities in accomplishing the
said goals.
Some of the Issues in the Physician's Role in
The Health Care of Inmates of Federal Prisons
and Correctional Facilities
In discussing the subject of the physician’s
role in both the federal prisons as well as the
correctional facilities across the nation, there
are a number of issues that arise with it, and
which needs equal importance to complete to the
said subject of the role of physicians in the
health care of inmates housed in federal prisons
and the correctional facilities. Some of the vital
issues include the importance of healthy communities,
access to the requisite health care facilities,
importance given to the ethical and legal issues
that provide a reflective mirror to the working
and lives of a healthy community both within and
outside the parameters of the federal prisons
and the correctional facilities, the facility
of consent and refusal to the inmate populations,
as equally allowed to free citizens of the state,
providing the principle aspect of patient-physician
confidentiality as is normal in an otherwise free
community of citizens, and the protection as well
as the promotion of the basic human rights of
the incarcerated populations.
Discussion on One Theme/Idea : Abuse of Human
Rights
Perhaps the most crucial of all issues amongst
the above listed is that of human rights of the
incarcerated populations across the nation. The
importance emerges not only in the perspective
that the incarcerated populations is the most
vulnerable, but more importantly it is the dignity
of the individual as a human being that is at
stake as also evidence in cases of torture, cruel
and inhuman or even degrading treatment meted
out against most if not all the incarcerated populations.
The first responsibility for safeguarding the
human rights of the inmate population undoubtedly
falls on the authorities of both prison and correctional
facilities, which is followed by the health care
professionals, in particular the physician assigned
to the respective withholding facility. It is
therefore the duty of the respective physician
that both the protection as well as the promotion
of human rights remain the critical aspects of
their health care programs. In this respect, it
is worthwhile to note that the federal government
of the United States of America too has come up
with three important international treaties to
this respect, all of which have been duly ratified
as well as implemented, and which prohibit, though
with certain limitations, any abuse against incarcerated
populations. For example, the Convention Against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment (CAT); International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); and the
International Convention on the Elimination of
all Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICEFRD).
In addition to the above there already exists
a United Nations document, 'The Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMR) which
was duly adopted and implemented in 1955.
In view of the above listed US and UN treaties,
the health care professionals, in particular the
physicians assigned for their respective responsibilities
for the inmate populations have more than the
required legal, ethical, and moral grounds to
pursue health care programs, which serve to provide
not only some of the best medical services, but
also ensure that human rights of the incarcerated
populations are not abused in any manner what
so ever.
Some of the responsibilities for the physicians
assigned to the incarcerated populations include:
1. Detection and treatment thereof of any physical
or mental illness which may restrict a prisoner's
rehabilitation, hence ensure that all necessary
medical, dental, surgical or psychiatric assistance
is provided to the inmate population.
2. Checking and confirming upon all sick prisoners
on a daily basis, in particular those who are
pointed out as being sick, irrespective of any
discrimination on any grounds.
3. Checking and confirming on all incarcerated
prisoners on their states of physical and mental
illness, and if need be advise respective authorities
on suspending or stopping altogether the mode
of punishment which tends to harm the prisoner
either mentally or physically in their present
condition, or in the future.
4. It is also the duty of the physician to identify
and if possible eliminate any and all forms of
torture or other forms of inhuman and degrading
treatment against the prisoners.
5. Perhaps the most important duty befalling on
the physicians is to train and guide the respective
law enforcement personnel, in particular the jail
authorities, on methods and procedures for prohibiting
torture, at any stage of incarceration including,
at the time of arrest, detention, and imprisonment.
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