mobile X-ray units, and that treatment should commence for those who test positive. Prisoners sharing a cell with a person infected with tuberculosis should be allowed to undergo a second X-ray and the Mantoux test (for persons who have not been vaccinated) three months later. This procedure should be repeated periodically to prevent the outbreak of further cases. As regards HIV/AIDS, the Subcommittee recommends that all prisoners be provided with a free and voluntary HIV test. The tests should be confidential and counselling should be given at the same time, and they should be administered only with the prisoner’s informed consent. 223.In its reply to the Subcommittee’s preliminary observations, the Office of the Attorney-General stated that under these circumstances cooperation should be sought from the Medical College, since it was the duty of all to participate in promoting and maintaining the health of individuals and the community. Material conditions 224.The Subcommittee visited cells, dormitories, common areas, and kitchen and bathroom facilities in the two prisons, and observed that the general maintenance of those facilities was substandard. Most of the wings did not have natural light or proper ventilation and some wings were extremely hot, particularly in San Pedro Sula Prison, where the temperature sometimes rose above 35 degrees. 225.The budget per inmate is only 13 lempiras a day, a sum so small that it can be used only for food. As a result, inmates are not provided with bedding, toiletries or products to repel cockroaches and bedbugs. The administrator of the prisons is a civilian from the Ministry of Security and is not accountable to the prison warden. Equipment such as refrigerators and air conditioning units found in some wings and cells have been acquired by the prisoners themselves. Likewise, part of the maintenance of the prisons is carried out by the inmates. For example, in the assessment wing of the Marco Aurelio Soto Prison, the Subcommittee was told that the coordinator and subcoordinators were demanding that prisoners pay 70 lempiras each for painting the building and improving the appearance of the premises, under threat of punishment if they refused. 226.Most of the lavatories in the prisons were out of order. In view of the number of inmates living in the prisons, the Subcommittee finds that the number of sanitary facilities is insufficient. 227. In broad terms, the Subcommittee recommends that a plan of action on prisons be drawn up and circulated so as to ensure that the basic needs of all prisoners are met. As a matter of priority, this should include an inspection of the material conditions of Honduran prison facilities, with a view to establishing and implementing cleaning, renovation and refurbishment programmes. In particular, the following should be addressed: (a) Budget allocations per person should be increased, so that all prisoners, including those in solitary confinement, have a bed and a mattress on which to sleep, with sufficient bedding that is properly maintained and regularly changed to ensure that it is clean; (b) Ventilation, volume of air, minimum floor space, lighting and access to natural light should be guaranteed in cells and dormitories; (c) Prisons should have adequate sanitary facilities, in a proper state of repair, for personal hygiene, washing of clothes and waste disposal. Food and access to drinking water 228.At both prisons the Subcommittee heard widespread complaints from the prisoners about the quantity and quality of the food provided, and therefore were surprised to hear that the warden and the administrator of the San Pedro Sula Prison had declared that they had not received any complaints related to food. Most prisoners said that at each meal they were given only three tortillas, one spoonful of rice and another of beans, without seasoning. Some inmates showed the Subcommittee the small ration of food they had received that day, contained in a tiny plastic bag. 229.In San Pedro Sula Prison, some inmates said that they were given chicken or red meat several times weekly, but the Subcommittee learned that this is not standard practice in the prison and applies only to certain individuals. The self-governance regime also applies to food; the prison staff admitted that all food portions are handed over directly to the coordinators, who take responsibility for distributing them. According to certain accounts, some of the food is distributed and some is sold to the prisoners. 230.Food is delivered raw to the members of the maras, on a weekly basis, at their request, according to the administrator of San Pedro Sula Prison. The prisoners confirmed this to be the case, explaining that they preferred to receive their food uncooked because they had found bits of glass in their meals. The “market” in San Pedro Sula Prison exists in part because of the small helpings, poor quality and unpleasant taste of the food. The Subcommittee finds that the quality of the food and the form in which it is distributed in the two prisons is unsatisfactory and even demeaning. Moreover, the tap water — which is what the inmates drink — is not drinkable and in some wings available only at night. A number of inmates complained of stomach aches and headaches owing to the quality of the water. 231. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party allocate sufficient budgetary resources to provide prisoners with food and access to purified water, and ensure, through the requisite monitoring mechanisms, that the food purchased is nutritious, effectively reaches all inmates, and is prepared and served in a proper and decent manner. The Subcommittee would like to receive information, broken down by prison, of the annual budget for food and drinking water in the prisons. The Subcommittee would also like to receive clarifications on measures adopted to ensure the transparent and efficient use of this budget. 232.In its reply to the Subcommittee’s preliminary observations, the Office of the Attorney-General commented that the situation