No fewer than 242 inmates of the Kirikiri Medium Correctional Centre, Apapa, have benefited from a medical and mental health outreach organised by the Headfort Foundation for Justice on Thursday.
The Programmes Manager of the foundation, Mrs Oluwakemi Adenekan disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos
She said the initiative was part of the organisation’s commitment to providing holistic support for indigent inmates, beyond its regular pro bono legal services.
According to her, the foundation discovered that some inmates were unable to attend court proceedings due to ill health and limited healthcare resources within the correctional centre.
“We offer pro bono services for indigent inmates and, in the course of our work, realised that some inmates could not appear in court because they were indisposed.
“We therefore decided to expand our intervention by conducting a medical outreach that includes medical consultations, vital signs checks, laboratory tests and drug dispensation,” she said.
Adenekan added that the programme also featured mental health sessions to address the psychological challenges faced by inmates.
She said mental health professionals engaged inmates on coping mechanisms and provided counselling support to help them manage the realities of incarceration.
The programme manager said a total of 242 inmates benefited from the medical consultations, health screenings, drug distribution and mental health sessions.
She commended the foundation’s medical volunteers, staff and partners for their contributions to the success of the outreach.
Adenekan reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to improving the welfare of inmates through legal, medical and psychosocial interventions.
