Prisoners

Abstract

Although imprisonment limits many rights of a person, a prisoner still retains the right to health. Upon imprisonment, the health care for prisoners becomes a State obligation. International guidelines recommend that health care in prison must be administered independently of the reasons for imprisonment and governed by the same medical ethics that exists outside prisons. The minimum standard of care in prison that must be respected universally is the principle of equivalence of care. In this entry, two basic medico-ethical concerns relevant in prison health care are discussed: confidentiality in seeking health care and dual loyalty of medical professionals. The latter includes dual loyalty in difficult situations such as torture, solitary confinement, and hunger strike. Even today, health care personnel in prisons work in conditions where they are unable to respect the basic principles of medical ethics. Resources and conditions to allow these professionals to respect the basic principles are critical and should be provided. Whenever these conditions and resources are unavailable, their lack should be reported. Prisoners are entitled to receive medical care which is equivalent to the care that any other patient who is not incarcerated receives.