JEDDAH — Prison authorities will not hand over the body of a dead prisoner to relatives if the person died of contagious and deadly diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis and scabies in order to protect public health, an informed source said. According to a decision issued in this respect, prison authorities should give a report giving the reason for the prisoner's death and inform the family. Prison administrators should also send a report in this regard to the concerned authorities to take preventive measures. Families should be informed of the burial date of dead prisoners, the source said, adding that bodies of such patients would be buried in special graveyards to prevent the diseases from spreading. If the prisoner died a natural death, relatives will be called to receive the body and hold the funeral. If they refuse to accept the body, the prison authorities would conduct the burial, the source told Al-Watan Arabic daily. The National Society for Human Rights has received at least 24 complaints from families of prisoners about poor healthcare services given to prisoners. Lawyer Ashraf Siraj, chairman of the Lawyers Committee at the National Committee for the Care of Prisoners, said the government has been providing adequate healthcare services to prisoners. Speaking to Al-Watan Arabic daily, Siraj spoke about the prison authorities' efforts to isolate prisoners infected by contagious diseases from other inmates. "The health committee provides prisoners with treatment and medicines. Prison authorities will inform families if their relative died of contagious diseases and the time for burial. Relatives will be able to attend the burial after funeral prayers," he explained. However, he pointed out that the authorities would not handover the bodies of such prisoners to their families in order to protect their health. "Relatives will receive a medical certificate from the concerned authorities showing the prisoner died of an infectious disease," he said. He emphasized the prison authorities' desire to provide prisoners with good care and facilities. They protect inmates by isolating prisoners infected by contagious diseases. The prisoners undergo regular medical checkup. They are also given vaccinations. The health committee makes strenuous efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among prisoners by supervising the health conditions of inmates in every cell. The committee also inspects the quality of food given to the prisoners and makes sure they are given the required medicines.
