THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN PRISON: RESULTS OF A NATIONWIDE SURVEY AND REPORT Bedding 4.118 In general, all prisoners must be able to sleep on beds and must have adequate bedding provided. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the recommended minimum size for beds is 1.6 m2 (2 m long and 0.8 m wide).158 4.119 While in general all prisons visited provided sufficient bedding for all prisoners, the Commission observed that a number of female prisoners in the Kota Kinabalu Women’s Prison were sleeping on the cement floor. 4.120 The Commission takes note of the feedback from the Prisons Department of Malaysia in that all prisoners are provided with blankets and mattresses during imprisonment. However due to space constraints, mattresses are laid in the dormitory to cater for all prisoners. Personal Hygiene 4.121 The Commission observed that when the supply of water to prisons was limited or unreliable, water consumption was managed well to ensure that all prisoners had enough water to meet their physiological needs and to maintain a minimum level of personal hygiene. 4.122 However, while according to the International Committee of the Red Cross each prisoner must receive a minimum of 100 to 150 grams of soap per month, the Commission notes that soap and toothpaste are only given once upon admission to prisoners. 4.123 The Commission in this regard advises that regular washing with soap prevents the occurrence of many diseases, especially skin conditions and advises that the daily budget allocation for prisoners is sufficient to include soap, tooth paste and other personal hygiene items on a monthly basis. In Cell Sanitation 4.124 The Commission observed that there were prisons159 that do not have in-cell sanitation. As a result, prisoners had to urinate and defecate in Water, sanitation, hygiene and habitat in prisons by Pier Giorgio Nembrini. Accessed via https://www.icrc.org/eng/assets/ files/other/icrc_002_0823.pdf on 3/3/16. 159 Bucket systems are still practiced and used in Penang Prison, Ayer Molek Prison, and Taiping Prison 158 91