tendencies. It also helps the health staff that conduct the screening to recommend proper action that corresponds to the identified health issue. The form allows three kinds of recommendations to be made to the prison administration: i. Referral to Prison Doctor/ Hospital (immediately); ii. Keep under observation in temporary placement until seen by the Prison Doctor as soon as possible; or iii. Regular admission/ complete medical consultation on a medical condition. Reportedly, the DOP is planning to introduce this procedure to all prisons if the pilot programme is a success. All prisoners must be examined by the MO prior to being removed to another prison, 80 which according to the then Commissioner of Prisons (Administration/ Intelligence and Security) does not happen in practice. If a transferred prisoner is sick, they are expected to inform the officers at the gate of the receiving prison, following which the jailor will inform the CJ and send the prisoner to the PH for treatment. Circular No. 28/2012 issued on 01 November 2011, requires a medical report to be issued before transferring a prisoner to an Open Prison Camp. The Commission was informed that the medical exam is not conducted when prisoners are transferred to an open camp after spending a short period of time in transit at WCP, because a medical examination of every prisoner is conducted upon admission. In other prisons, from which prisoners would be transferred to an open camp to serve the last few years of their sentence, the Commission was informed that prisoners are not subject to medical exams before they are transferred to an open camp. Corresponding to SMR 26(2)81, Section 140 of the DSO places the responsibility on the MO to send the medical records of the prisoners being transferred to the MO of the receiving prison, ‘thus avoiding any divided responsibility’. However, this requirement is found only in the SRs according to which the only requirement is to transfer the medical records of a prisoner who is transferred to another prison on medical grounds82 and not otherwise. The Commission observed that medical records not being transferred alongside a prisoner who is transferred has been an obstacle to the MO of the receiving prison in providing necessary treatment to transferred prisoners. This situation was evident at ACP where the MO stated that he is unable to treat certain prisoners who had been transferred to ACP from WCP as their medical records had not been sent to ACP. 80 PO No.16 of 1877, s 46, ‘All prisoners, previously to being removed to any other prison, shall be examined by medical officer.’ 81 SMR 2015, r 26(2), ‘Medical files shall be transferred to the health-care service of the receiving institution upon transfer of a prisoner and shall be subject to medical confidentiality.’ 82 SRs 1956, s 68. 64

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