THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN PRISON: RESULTS OF A NATIONWIDE SURVEY AND REPORT CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE RIGHT TO HEALTH IN PRISON Prison Overview 1.1 This Chapter discusses the background of the thematic study, methodology, as well as the objectives of the national survey. Included are data from 18 prisons, 5479 prisoners, 886 prison staff and 52 medical staff. 1.2 This Report is the Commission’s first report on prison health in Malaysia. It is hoped that the information contained in this Report will be of use to all sectors of Government and will contribute to assessing the health needs of prisoners and informing prisoner health care planning, policy and programmes, as well as stimulating further research. 1.3 By virtue of the Prisons Act 1995, “prison means any house, building, enclosure or place, or any part thereof, declared to be a prison under section 31 and shall include the grounds and buildings within the prison enclosure and also the airing grounds or other grounds or buildings belonging or attached thereto and used by prisoners”. Section 3: The Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, declare any house, building, enclosure or place, or any part thereof, to be a prison for the purposes of this Act for the imprisonment or detention of persons lawfully in custody and may in like manner declare that any such prison shall cease to be a prison for the purposes of this Act. 1 1