For effective exercise of the right to health, particular importance shall be placed on the preventive healthcare, which implies: facilitation to health and improvement of general living conditions; food; sanitation; intellectual and physical activities; targeted preventive measures in prisons focused on specific problems such as infectious diseases, mental health, drug addiction and violence. Within the framework of the monitoring conducted in 2015, an emphasis was made on the effective functioning of the prison healthcare system and the existing challenges. In the course of monitoring, we interviewed the prisoners and the prison healthcare staff; we also inspected the conditions in medical units of the penitentiary establishments and the infrastructure at the penitentiary medical facilities. Statistical reports and information provided by the Medical Department of the Ministry of Corrections and individual penitentiary establishments were used during the research, along with the official statistical data provided on the webpage of the Ministry of Corrections The below analysis is based on the national legislation such as laws and bylaws as well as international standards found in hard and soft law, in particular: • The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1997); • The Optional Protocol to the above-mentioned Convention (2006); • The European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1987); • Istanbul Protocol: Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (“Istanbul Protocol”) (United Nations; New York and Geneva, 2001 – 2004); • Principles and case-law of the European Court of Human Rights; • 3rd General Report on the CPT’s activities – healthcare services in prisons; • The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (1955); • The UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment (1989); • The European Prison Rules (2006); • Recommendation No. R (87) 3 of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers (1987); NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM (NPM), 2015 89