ACHPR/37/OS/11/437 14 windows are not available. Also in most of them, the roofs leaked and the walls were falling apart due to neglect. Also appalling were the hygienic and health facilities exacerbated by the overcrowding of the cells. Except for the relatively new prison building at Bafang Principal Prison and the Mfou Women’s Prison, the rest of the detention centres fall short of the minimum standard sanitary requirements and exhibit neglect of the highest order. There is no regular maintenance and disinfecting of the premises. The premises smelt of some sort of unpleasant odour, and prisoners appeared in their tattered and visibly filthy apparels. The delegation also noted that since there were constant shortages of water and bathing facilities, including soaps, some of the prisoners visited had a foul bodily odour. In general, most of the prisons, police stations and the gendarmeries visited exhibited a serious failure to meet minimal hygienic requirements. The delegation generally noted that Cameroon does not have a general model for the construction of prisons and detention centres, which seems to have contributed, to a major extent, to the unhealthy living conditions in the prisons. Particular reference is made to the situation in such central prisons as Yaounde, Douala and Bamenda where the inadequacy in size and the low quality in nature of the buildings coupled with apparent disregard for their maintenance keeps to be a constant source of unnecessary prisoners’ suffering. The delegation was also seriously concerned over the effect such conditions may have on the security considerations for both prisoners and staff alike. Bedding Due to the high prison population density, prison facilities are highly strained. The prison administration supplies detainees with a bed only. Sometimes, sheets are provided. However, most prisoners sleep on mattresses laid out on the floor at night and folded up during daytime. Pillows are a luxury. Prison authorities, however, allow prisoners to bring in their own mattresses, sheets and pillows. Prisoners who are not so provided for complained of suffering from cold as they were forced to sleep on the floor. In Marua Central, however, prisoners sleep on the floor due to the regions hot weather. Of a particular concern in this regard raised by most inmates in the main Central Prisons is the alleged fact that new inmates would have to pay a certain amount of money either to the cell masters or directly to some wardens in order to secure a space to sleep in any of the numerous cells. This forms part of the general problem of extortion alleged by the inmates. In the police stations and the gendarmeries, the detainees are not provided with any sleeping implement whatsoever. Due to lack of space and resources, appropriate bedding and related facilities are not provided. Most prisoners share mattresses and even their own personal blankets.