Zimbabwe’s prison facilities: Preparedness for institutional COVID-19 outbreaks

Mukwenha, Solomon; Dzinamarira, Tafadzwa; Mapingure, Munyaradzi; Musuka, Godfrey

doi:10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100089

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The ZPCS COVID-19 approach was aligned to international non-binding technical guidance (World Health Organization, 2020b; World Health Organization, 2020c; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2020a; Penal Reform International, 2020) and the Southern African Development Community (2020) protocols and was relatively successful in preventing a catastrophe of contagion within Zimbabwean prison walls. The assessment supports extant reporting since July 2020 regarding the significant challenges encountered by the ZPCS in protecting staff and prisoners from COVID-19 (Netsianda, 2020;Chinowaita, 2020;Muronzi, 2020;Mavhinga, 2020;Daily News, 2020;Whiz, 2020;Mukwenha et al, 2021). As elsewhere in the sub-Saharan African region, the COVID-19 prison system response and the monitoring of COVID-19 incidence (Chireh and Kwaku Essien, 2020;Amnesty International, 2020;Muntingh, 2020) by the ZPCS was compromised by systemic poor prison conditions and capacity issues including inhibiting staff and prisoners to maintain hygiene standards and adhere to social distance guidelines and to segregate those most vulnerable to severe COVID-19 disease.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Since July 2020, both national and international media warned of an impending public health crisis reporting on the severe lack of testing, insufficient PPE (masks, hand sanitisers), water and sanitation and isolation capacity for those testing COVID-19 positive in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) prison system (Netsianda, 2020;Chinowaita, 2020;Muronzi, 2020;Mavhinga, 2020;Daily News 2020;Whiz, 2020Mukwenha et al, 2021. The criminal justice system became severely hampered during government lockdowns and restrictions, with courts suspended and prison visits for those in detention banned, including that of legal representatives (Lawyers for Lawyers, 2020;Zimbabwe Peace Project, 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

“We sleep 10cm apart so there is no social distancing”: COVID-19 preparedness in a Zimbabwean prison complex

Mhlanga-Gunda

Rusakaniko

Chinyuku

et al. 2022

IJPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose Prisons in Africa face unprecedented challenges during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In July 2020, the first prison system case of COVID-19 was notified in Zimbabwe. Subsequently, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services released their COVID-19 operational plan. The purpose of the study was to assess preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in selected prisons in Zimbabwe. Design/methodology/approach A multi-method situation assessment of COVID-19 preparedness was conducted across three Zimbabwean prisons. The World Health Organization checklist to evaluate preparedness, prevention and control of COVID-19 in prisons was administered to frontline health managers. Information garnered was further explored during site observation and in multi-stakeholder key informant interviews with policymakers, prison health directorate, frontline health-care professionals, officers in charge and non-governmental organizations (n = 26); focus group discussions with correctional officers (n = 18); and male/female prisoners (n = 36). Data was triangulated and analyzed using content thematic analysis. Findings Outdated infrastructure, severe congestion, interrupted water supply and inadequate hygiene and sanitation were conducive to ill-health and spread of disease. Health professionals had been well-trained regarding COVID-19 disease control measures. COVID-19 awareness among prisoners was generally adequate. There was no routine COVID-19 testing in place, beyond thermo scanning. Access to health care was good, but standards were hindered by inadequate medicines and personnel protective equipment supply. Isolation measures were compromised by accommodation capacity issues. Flow of prison entries constituted a transmission risk. Social distancing was impossible during meals and at night. Originality/value This unique situation assessment of Zimbabwean prisons’ preparedness and approach to tackling COVID-19 acknowledges state and prison efforts to protect prisoners and staff, despite infrastructural constraints and inadequate resourcing from government.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“We sleep 10cm apart so there is no social distancing”: COVID-19 preparedness in a Zimbabwean prison complex

Mhlanga-Gunda

Rusakaniko

Chinyuku

et al. 2022

IJPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In Zimbabwe, a similar lack of government resourcing and systemic poor standards of detention are reported, where prisons were documented to be 120 per over-capacity in March 2021 (World Prison Brief Zimbabwe 2022). Grave conditions of detention centre on a severe lack of safe space and adequate ventilation, water shortages and power outages and a lack of sufficient supply of food, medicines, clothing and bedding (Mhlanga-Gunda et al 2020b;Mukwenha et al 2021; USSD 2020b; Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum 2018). Dependence on family and NGO/faith based organizations to bring clean water, food and medicines to prisons in Zimbabwe is well documented (Prison Insider 2020 ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Using COVID-19 to Address Environmental Threats to Health and Leverage for Prison Reform in South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe

Hout¹

2022

Journal of Human Rights Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Health rights of prisoners has long been a neglected political issue in Africa, where over one million people are detained, and almost half of whom are in pre-trial detention. African prisons constitute high-risk environments for communicable disease transmission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health literature on African prison responses focused on preparedness as it related to testing capacity, quarantine practices and personal protective measures to mitigate disease spread. This article combines the right to health as narrowly defined by a prisoner’s right to access non-discriminatory equivalent health care, with a broader focus on assessing normative standards of detention. A comparative legal realist assessment of prison operations in South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe during COVID-19 state disaster measures is presented, focusing on the environmental determinants of health (ventilation, minimum floor space, water, sanitation, hygiene and nutrition) in prisons. It reveals the inherent tensions in ensuring a balance between respecting the fundamental rights of people living and working in prisons, ensuring adequate environmental health standards and mitigating disease during public health emergencies. Despite insufficient government resourcing and inadequate coverage of COVID-19 responses, few severe outbreaks were reported. This could be due to lack of testing, reporting or other factors (asymptomatic infection, acquired immunity). Prison congestion and unrest however affected prisoners and staff fearful of hazardous living and occupational health conditions. COVID-19 as public health emergency amplifies the need to address systemic deficits in infrastructure, resourcing and efficiency of criminal justice systems. Policy level and pragmatic recommendations for enhanced human rights practice are outlined.

show abstract

“…The net effect was that prison lockdowns and the suspension of visits by lawyers (and family) affected prisoners’ rights to access legal representation and family support for basic provisions (contra the Mandela Rules 61(1)(3)). This was especially the case in prisons where right to contact via alternative technological means ( Mandela Rule 58(1a)) was not facilitated by the ZPCS (Mhlanga-Gunda et al , 2022) and where lack of outside contact was viewed as inhibiting access to timely COVID-19 public health information, and family supports in providing sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) (face masks), food, water, clothing and medicines (Whiz, 2020; Mukwenha et al , 2021; Mhlanga-Gunda et al , 2022). There were some reports of NGOs backfilling the ZPCS response; however, these efforts were stifled due to the protracted economic crisis in Zimbabwe at the time (US State Department, 2020; Mhlanga-Gunda et al , 2022).…”

Section: International and Regional Human Rights Framework Pertinent ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A legal-realist assessment of the Zimbabwean correctional system response to COVID-19 during state disaster measures

Hout

Bigland²,

Mariniello³

2022

IJPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The first prison system case in Zimbabwe was notified in July 2020 shortly after State declaration of disaster. A legal-realist assessment was conducted of the Zimbabwean correctional system response to COVID-19 during state disaster measures, with a focus on assessing right to health, infectious disease mitigation and the extent to which minimum state obligations complied with human and health rights standards. Design/methodology/approach The Zimbabwean correctional system operations during COVID-19 disaster measures are scrutinized using a range of international, African and domestic human rights instruments in relation to the right to health of prisoners. This study focused particularly on standards of care, environmental conditions of detention and right of access to health care. Findings Systemic poor standards of detention are observed, where prisoners experience power outages, water shortages and a lack of access to clean drinking water and water for ablution purposes, a severe lack of safe space and adequate ventilation, poor quality food and malnutrition and a lack of sufficient supply of food, medicines, clothing and bedding. Whilst access to health care of prisoners in Zimbabwe has greatly improved in recent times, the standard of care was severely stretched during COVID-19 due to lack of government resourcing and reliance on non-governmental organisation and faith-based organisations to support demand for personal protective equipment, disinfection products and medicines. Originality/value Prison conditions in Zimbabwe are conducive to chronic ill health and the spread of many transmissible diseases, not limited to COVID-19. The developed legal-realist account considers whether Zimbabwe had a culture of respect for the rule of law pertinent to human and health rights of those detained during COVID-19 disaster measures, and whether minimum standards of care were upheld.

show abstract

Zimbabwe’s prison facilities: Preparedness for institutional COVID-19 outbreaks

Cited by 7 publications

References 1 publication

“We sleep 10cm apart so there is no social distancing”: COVID-19 preparedness in a Zimbabwean prison complex

“We sleep 10cm apart so there is no social distancing”: COVID-19 preparedness in a Zimbabwean prison complex

Using COVID-19 to Address Environmental Threats to Health and Leverage for Prison Reform in South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe

A legal-realist assessment of the Zimbabwean correctional system response to COVID-19 during state disaster measures

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About