A/HRC/40/59/Add.2 ranging from several weeks to more than six months, resulting in a general sense of deep distress and desperation. 45. In Mixed Prison Unit 3 (Formosa Province), housing both female and male detainees, five female detainees were held in a cell that was facing a cell holding male detainees just a few metres away across the open corridor. The barred walls of these cells did not allow for any privacy, obliging the female prisoners to install an improvised curtain in order to prevent visual contact at least during the night. Although physical contact between male and female inmates was not possible, the female inmates reported being verbally harassed and intimidated by the male detainees in neighbouring cells. Most detainees reported that they had received new sheets and blankets a few days prior to the Special Rapporteur’s arrival. 46. In all facilities visited, prisoners complained about insufficient quantity and quality of the food, particularly in police stations, where the Special Rapporteur was able to confirm that meals provided were clearly insufficient to maintain an adequate level of nutrition, meaning that families were forced to bring substantial quantities of additional food during visiting hours. The Special Rapporteur received several consistent allegations of corruption involving police officers “confiscating” for their own consumption food and other items brought by the prisoners’ families. 47. The Special Rapporteur is pleased to report that the conditions of detention in the Federal Prison Unit 10 in Formosa were found to be generally acceptable and inmates had no complaints about the material conditions. However, he is concerned by the reported reduction of working hours for the inmates in this Unit, which caused a general atmosphere of frustration among them. D. Access to health care 48. In virtually all the facilities visited, the number, presence time and detention-specific training of health professionals was found to be insufficient, as was the supply of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and dental care. There were no specific programmes for detainees affected by long-term illnesses, including cancer and HIV, and reportedly no access to external care and no follow-up to the treatment of patients with chronic diseases. Apart from the obvious lack of personnel and resources allocated to prison health services, detainees also reported a near complete disregard for their medical needs on the part of prison officials. The deficiency in medical attention was reported to be even more serious in police stations, due to the dilapidated material conditions, overcrowding and the lack of medical staff and infrastructure. As a consequence, prisoners held in provincial police stations are particularly at permanent risk of disease, infection and malnutrition. In most facilities visited, both detainees and staff reported that only urgent cases were transferred to hospitals, and not detainees with diseases requiring specific treatment and special accommodation conditions. 49. In 2012, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requested Argentina to take precautionary measures to safeguard the life and physical integrity of people accommodated in three prison units in the Buenos Aires conurbation. Although the Special Rapporteur welcomes the various instances of dialogue and round tables established between the provincial government and civil society to improve medical care, he has received reports suggesting that medical attention and supplies are still insufficient, that there is a shortage in mental health professionals, including psychologists and social workers, that there is no special treatment for drug addiction despite the high prevalence of affected inmates, and that there have even been cases of tuberculosis. 50. The Special Rapporteur also notes with serious concern that, despite existing regulations, it was reported that medical staff do not conduct examinations thoroughly, in particular that they do not inquire about injuries or probe further for explanations. Many medical personnel are not familiar with the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Istanbul Protocol) and, in some places of detention, do not consider it their duty to enquire whether injuries observed may be the result of torture or ill-treatment. 10