Madagascar: authorities recognize first cases of Covid-19 in prisons

Text by: RFI Follow

The coronavirus has appeared in Malagasy prisons. Information officially confirmed for the first time by the Ministry of Justice to RFI. Despite the measures taken from the beginning of the epidemic to prevent the spread in penitentiary centers, the arrival of the virus in these overcrowded places, already hosting three times more inmates than their capacity, makes fear the worst.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Sarah Tétaud

The subject is highly sensitive. No one has yet wanted to comment on this information, which has become insistent in recent weeks. Tovonjanahary Ranaivo Andriamaroahina, the director general of the Prison Administration broke the silence. “  At the Central House of Antanimora, in Antananarivo, of the 149 newly imprisoned detainees, 1 detainee is positive. For Toamasina prison (Tamatave), of the 179 new arrivals, 35 tested positive.  "

Men, women, minors, all were transferred to the nearest Covid-19 health centers to receive the necessary care. In these 2 prisons, detainees arriving after the start of the pandemic were systematically placed in quarantine in areas isolated from other residents to avoid contamination. The new detainees are all tested. But only 14 days after their arrival. "  An aberration and a catastrophic loss of time  " estimate the associations of support for prisoners who demand a test at the entrance of the prison or even directly at the exit of the court.

"  We have already discussed with the health authorities to take the test from the day of arrival in the prison establishment,  assures Tovonjanahary Ranaivo Andriamaroahin. And we await the answer. The problem ? It is a problem of means to take the test…  ”

To minimize possible transmissions between outside and inside, visits were prohibited. The detainees therefore no longer see their relatives or receive food since the end of March. Psychosocial disorders, serious nutritional problems ("  the cassava boiled in the water distributed at the moment does not correspond [at] all to the subsistence minimum  ", explains an NGO used to enter prisons, which requested anonymity), the associations speak of a "time  bomb  ", with immense collateral damage. Many are hoping for a presidential pardon on June 26, a national holiday.

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Madagascar
• Coronavirus

On the same subject

Africa Report

Madagascar: rehabilitation of the Pangalanes, opening up the regions

Madagascar: civil society calls for access to information law

Madagascar: medical personnel in need of resources to deal with coronavirus