Management of SARS nCoV 2 in prison settings: Lessons from Migori GK Prison, Kenya
1 Monitoring and Evaluation Unit, Migori County. BOX 202, 40400 SUNA, Kenya.
2 Migori county Referral hospital, Kenya.
3 Kenya medical Research Institute, Migori site, Kenya.
Research Article
GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022, 11(02), 001–007.
Article DOI: 10.30574/gscarr.2022.11.2.0109
Publication history:
Received on 14 March 2022; revised on 28 April 2022; accepted on 30 April 2022
Abstract:
Introduction: Conditions within prisons and high human traffic fuels spread of outbreaks within prisons. Security and ethical-legal dilemma complicates patient management in prisons.
Purpose: Assess treatment and isolation outcomes of patients admitted in the prison treatment units.
Methods: Cross-sectional and cohort retrospective designs were adopted. All those who tested positive were recruited. Top officials and healthcare workers seconded to prison treatment center were respectively identified for key informant interviews and focused group discussions.
Data collection: Data on treatment outcomes was abstracted from medical records while data on staff perception was collected using focused group discussions and key informant interviews.
Data analysis: Data was managed in R version R-4.0.3 and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used, summaries were presented in frequency tables and graphs.
Results: 117 patients had been admitted into the treatment unit with all being males save for one female. The average length of stay was 18 days. There was an inverse correlation between age and length of stay. (-0.1092). There was observed reduced security risks and cross-infection amongst prison wardens compared to when prisoners were being transferred to the general treatment units.
Discussion: Improved patients outcomes with reduced risks of cross-infections amongst prisoners, staffs and staffs to family members enhanced confidence of health care workers. Ethical and legal dilemmas of detaining rumandees released on cash-bail remained a key challenge.
Conclusion: Management of outbreaks within prison settings has more benefits compared to when inmate patients are transferred to general treatment centers.
Recommendation: Benefits of managing outbreaks within areas of confinement outweighs risks of otherwise. Thus we recommend management of similar cases within prisons.
Keywords:
SARS nCoV 2; Prison settings; Treatment centers; Disease outbreaks and Control of disease spread
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Copyright © 2022 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0
