By SYLVIA MWEETWA –

LACK of an isolation  ward at  Kabwe’s  Mukobeko Maximum  Prison has  forced  the  prison  command  to  mix  inmates  with confirmed  tuberculosis with  those who don’t have the disease.
Officer-in-charge at Mukobeko prisons Hastings Chilombe  said  currently  67  inmates  were  undergoing  TB  treatment  but feared  that  more  inmates  would continue  to  contract the  disease  if  the  situation is  not resolved.
Speaking when Home Affairs  Minister  Davis  Mwila  toured  the  clinic at Mukobeko prison, Mr Chilombe  informed  the  minister  that  the  clinic  has  had no  isolation  ward  to  separate  especially those  found  to have communicable  diseases.
Mr Mwila was accompanied  by  Home Affairs  Deputy Permanent Secretary Evans Manjimela, Deputy  Prisons Commissioner  Fredrick Chilukutu, Central Province  Commissioner of  Police  Lombe  Kamukoshi among others.
“It is  not  our  wish to mix  those   found  with  TB with those  who  don’t have it but we forced to do so  because  we don’t have  an isolation  ward but we are  hopeful that  this  will be  addressed,” he said.
He  further said the  clinic currently has two  clinical officers and  one  male  nurse  but was  happy  that  25 medical  personnel  were under training  to  beef  up  staff running  clinics  in prisons and  paid  tribute to  the  Ministry of Health  for its  support.
And Zambia Prisons Director of  Health Chileshe  Chisela said that  plans  were underway  to extend the sick bay which would be used as an isolation ward.
Dr  Chisela  said   works  would  be  funded  by  United Nations  on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and  was  confident  this  would  assist  isolate those with TB cases that are  communicable.