By Daniel Itai.
Kinshasa, DRC. (News of The South) –
International humanitarian organisation, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has aired out it’s concern over the growing number of inmates who are testing positive for the COVID-19 epidemic.
“The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s overcrowded and unsanitary prisons are at grave risk of COVID-19 outbreaks. Congo’s main prisons are at 432 percent of capacity,” read a statement from the HRW.
However, Justice Minister Celestin Tunda said, “at least 1 200 detainees had been released to slow the spread of the coronavirus and that more were expected to be freed next week.”
According, to the HRW, each year, hundreds of detainees die in Congolese prisons from starvation and lack of care.
It also reported a shortage of medication with the exception of paracetamol and treatments for malaria and tuburculosis.
Congolese NGO Justicia also accused the government of notorious negligence in the case of those infected at the prisons and insisted it do something to avoid a hecatomb.
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