CAT/OP/GAB/1 overworked; there were no specialized mental health staff (psychiatrists or psychologists), despite the alarming levels of suicides, nor any programme for drug addicted detainees. The Subcommittee is also concerned by the fact that the medical staff are not aware of their responsibility to document cases of torture. 91. In view of the prevalence of certain infectious diseases in prisons, the Subcommittee is concerned by the lack of any preventive treatments such as vaccines and regular screening for medical and security staff in prisons. It considers it unacceptable that the health of the staff should thus be placed in danger and also notes that this situation contributes to the spread of diseases within the broader population. 92. The State party should ensure that detainees are able to access health care in conformity with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and should therefore immediately increase the budget allocated to detainees’ health. The purchase of medications and detainees’ hospital fees should be covered by the prison authorities. The State party should take the necessary measures to ensure that every prison has regular access to the services of a qualified doctor, who should examine each detainee as soon as possible after his or her admission and monitor the physical and mental health of detainees, particularly by establishing medical files for each person committed to prison. 12 Strategies to prevent suicide among detainees should also be developed in consultation with the mental health care and social protection services. 13 The State party should moreover provide adequate means of transport for prisoners requiring hospitalization. Persons with disabilities should be held in decent conditions appropriate to their disabilities. 93. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party conduct systematic screening for tuberculosis. After the screening test, sick prisoners should receive for free the medicine necessary for their treatment. To prevent the spread of diseases in the prison environment and to encourage the treatment of sick prisoners, all the country’s prisons should also provide quarters for sick and convalescing prisoners. The Subcommittee urges the State party to have all prison medical and security staff vaccinated and to carry out medical screening tests, which will need to be repeated at regular intervals. It recommends that the authorities seek the assistance and cooperation of the World Health Organization in implementing these actions. 94. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party train medical staff to examine alleged victims of torture or ill-treatment and to detect such cases, in line with the provisions of the Istanbul Protocol. The Subcommittee also recommends that records be kept of all medical examinations of detainees, indicating the name of the doctor and the results of the examination. 14 The Istanbul Protocol must be used as an instrument for improving the quality of medical and psychological reports and strengthening the prevention of torture. C. Psychiatric hospital 95. The State party does not have any psychiatric units in its hospitals and patients are therefore systematically sent to the hospital in Melen, which is the only institution of the country to accommodate the mentally ill. Within the hospital, staff do not __________________ 12 13 14 18/24 Approved by the Economic and Social Council in its resolutions 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957 and 2076 (LXII) of 13 May 1977. In accordance with the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non custodial Measures for Women Offenders (Bangkok Rules), adopted by the General Assembly on 21 December 2010. Set of Principles, principle 26. GE. 15-10283