NCoS boosts inmates healthcare with essential drugs distribution

By Adebayo Gbeja

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving inmates’ healthcare, with emphasis on mental wellbeing, female inmates’ welfare and access to health insurance.

The Controller-General of Corrections (CGC), Sylvester Nwakuche, gave the assurance on Wednesday, during the flag-off of the second quarter nationwide distribution of essential drugs and medicaments to commands and custodial centres.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday by NCoS Public Relations Officer, CSC Jane Osuji, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.

Nwakuche said that the initiative reflected the service’s commitment to providing humane custody and quality healthcare in line with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019.

He also said that the programme formed part of ongoing reforms to strengthen healthcare delivery, improve rehabilitation and promote the wellbeing of inmates across the country.

He emphasised that the service had prioritised the healthcare needs of female inmates, particularly menstrual hygiene management and other gender-specific sanitary requirements.

He said the service was also intensifying efforts to enrol inmates into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure sustainable access to quality healthcare.

According to the CGC, several state governments have already enroled inmates into their health insurance schemes, while discussions are at an advanced stage to secure nationwide coverage under the National Health Insurance Authority framework.

Nwakuche said the quarterly distribution of essential medicines was part of broader healthcare reforms aimed at reducing disease burden, strengthening medical services, improving mental health support and enhancing inmate rehabilitation.

“The distribution of essential medicines demonstrates our commitment to protecting the health, dignity and well-being of inmates while advancing correctional reforms across the country,” he said.

He appreciated President Bola Tinubu for supporting correctional reforms and commended the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his commitment to improving healthcare delivery and inmate welfare.

Nwakuche further reaffirmed the service’s commitment to sustaining reforms that protected inmates’ health, dignity and mental well-being while advancing safe custody, rehabilitation, reformation and successful reintegration into society.

Also speaking, the Assistant Controller-General of Corrections in charge of Medical Services, Glory Essien, described the exercise as a major milestone in the service’s healthcare reform agenda.

Essien said the intervention would improve inmates’ health and well-being while reducing the incidence of epidemics and other communicable diseases in custodial centres.

She urged caregivers and medical personnel across commands to ensure the judicious and accountable use of the drugs in line with professional and ethical standards.

In the same vein, the Assistant Controller-General of Corrections in charge of Pharmacy, Muhammed Bashir, said the service had established a robust monitoring and reporting mechanism to ensure medications were used strictly for inmate healthcare.

According to him, the accountability framework guarantees transparency in pharmaceutical management and ensures that the medicines reach inmates in custodial facilities nationwide.