ACHPR/37/OS/11/437 20 could be due to administrative reasons or for lack of transportation. (Bamenda, Mfou, Bafang, Maroua). Some sick inmates tend to be left out in their cells without any medical or other assistance due to the attendant problem of overcrowding, which makes it conducive for disease spread. Separate cells for the sick exist but rather than alleviate the problem, they tend to help in spreading the sicknesses into the general inmate community as there are no effective procedures implemented to segregate and adequately treat the sick. Reports of inmate death are frequent in New Bell. The Special Rapporteur was not, however, furnished with accurate statistics on the reported cases of inmates demise. There are no proper corpse removal procedures and inmates are forced to remove such without appropriate protection. Prisoners do not enjoy efficient and regular medical check-up. Areas of Concern Health matters Lack of medical staff The Special Rapporteur was not provided with relevant figures to indicate the ratio of doctors to that of inmates. There is acute shortage of medical personnel and drugs in almost all prisons. Due to congestion and heavy demand, the available medical services are highly strained. Drugs are embezzled and sold back to inmates who are also forced to source for drugs from outside the prison through visitors. Hygienic situation of almost all the prisons (except for Mfou Women’s Pricon and the new building of Bafang Central) is appalling. There is a strong stench in the various premises. Police cells and the gendarmeries visited exhibit the worst odour. Sanitation materials are not regularly and adequately issued to inmates. Water is highly scarce and there is a deplorable waste management. The state of affairs relating to hygiene deserves a closer look by all the concerned as a potential source of inmate death of epidemic proportions. There is no preparedness of the prison staff and prisoners alike should there occur an outbreak of a disease of any sort. The congestion evident in all the prisons and detention centres excerbates the situation and could lead to inmates’ death through suffocation. This also could potentially be caused by the archaic nature of the prison buildings with no appropriate lighting and ventilation. Delay in transferring sick prisoners to hospitals and specialised centres Almost all prisons and places of detention visited reported this problem. In some of the highly congested prisons like New Bell and Yaounde, the state of affairs is even worse as more inmates fall sick and need to be transported to