40 prisoners died in Sungai Buloh: Suhakam
A total of 40 prisoners from the Sungai Buloh prison had died of various diseases since January this year, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) revealed today.
More than half of the adult prisoners died of lung diseases including severe pneumonia and tuberculosis while the other deaths were due to septicaemia, heart disease, haemorrhagic dengue and severe malnutrition leading to a degenerative condition known as the wasting disease.
Some of the deceased were HIV-positive. The cause of six other deaths were unknown.
Suhakam's visitation sub-working group chairperson Prof Hamdan Adnan said the figures were provided during a visit to the prison on Monday.
The preliminary report of the visit also noted that the Sungai Buloh prison the country's biggest was facing problems in accommodating the medical needs of its 5,000-odd inmates, particularly those afflicted with HIV.
Hamdan said the prison only had two resident hospital assistants and no doctor.
Asked if the absence of an in-house doctor had contributed to the large number of deaths, he said: "We cannot say conclusively based on these figures but it may well be one of the main reasons."
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