All inmates in Kenya’s correctional facilities will be enrolled in the Social Health Authority (SHA) by December, in a government plan to curb overcrowding challenges and tackle rising cases of communicable diseases in prisons.
Speaking during the 4th edition of the Jamii Imara Mashinani initiative in Meru, Correctional Services Principal Secretary Salome Beacco said the initiative will guarantee continuous access to treatment for inmates while easing pressure on the country’s strained prison health systems.
She noted that sexual offenders make up nearly 40 per cent of the prison population, worsening congestion and fueling the spread of diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV.
“Almost 40 per cent of the problems I have are due to sexual offences — rape, sodomy, gender-based violence,” Beacco said. “My prisons are overcrowded, overfilled, and this brings other problems.”
Beacco added that the burden of disease in prisons cannot be ignored, pointing out that Meru has the highest prevalence of HIV cases among inmates, with limited resources available for treatment.
She emphasized that SHA enrollment will enhance access to treatment and improve disease management in correctional facilities across the country.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, who also attended the event, urged Kenyans to register for SHA, saying the government is scaling up health services such as early cancer screening in partnership with county governments.
Muthoni also raised concern over the rise in drug and substance abuse among young people, particularly the use of electronic gadgets laced with illegal drugs.
Local leaders, including Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood, echoed the government’s concerns, stressing the need to tackle health risks in prisons and curb substance abuse among the youth as part of efforts to safeguard Kenya’s future.