DCS & HPCA – care in correctional services - Hospice Palliative ...

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INTRODUCTION
� Incarcerated persons represent a small proportion of the total South
African population, who are also at risk of developing health and social
problems.
� International norms and standards require that inmates must have
access to the same quality and range of health care services as the
general public receives from the National Health Services. A person’s
capacity to access these services should not be compromised by
reasons of incarceration since all people have a basic right to health,
nutrition, clean and safe environment as obligated by the Constitution of
the Republic of South Africa..
� In terms of the Correctional Services Act, (Act 111 of 1998), the
department provides primary health care services and refer patients to
external health care facilities for secondary and tertiary levels of health
care.
� The Department has been faced with a number of challenges with
regard to the provision of primary health services to the inmates.
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