OBJECTIVE The objective of this section is to emphasize that proper health care is a basic right which applies to all human beings and that the conditions of health care in prisons affect public health. ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLE The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is a human right. BASIS IN INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS Article 12, paragraph 1, of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognizes: the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. IMPLICATIONS The state of health, both physical and mental, of any human being affects how he or she lives, works and behaves. This is true in the case of both prison staff and prisoners. A person's state of health may affect other people. Sick people need special care and cannot contribute fully to the society in which they live. Some health problems affect people's behaviour. This can affect relations with other people. This is particularly the case with mental health problems, which may affect a significant proportion of prisoners. Some health problems can be transmitted to other people. This is particularly true of some illnesses which are prevalent in some prison systems. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are examples of such illnesses. The vast majority of prisoners leave prison at some point. Staff in prisons come and go between prisons and the outside world, as do visitors to the prison. This means that health problems in prisons can become community health problems. Thus, maintaining health in prisons is in everyone's interests. When prison staff are healthy, they are better able to do their work. When prisoners are healthy, they are more fit for work and better able to cope with imprisonment. 61