Machakos: A total of 10,000 prisoners have been registered on the Social Health Authority (SHA) and now have access to affordable and quality healthcare, Principal Secretary State Department for Correctional Services, Dr. Salome Muhia has said.
According to Kenya News Agency, the exercise of registering inmates across the country is ongoing and started in May. So far, 10,000 registered inmates are assured of quality healthcare as they aim to register all 60,000 inmates in the country. Dr. Muhia emphasized the importance of ensuring all Kenyans register for SHA to access affordable and quality healthcare, including inmates in prison and probation centers, who also have a right to quality healthcare as stated in the constitution.
"10,000 prisoners have registered for SHA and we anticipate registering all 60,000 prisoners in Kenya since Article 43 of the constitution provides that healthcare is a right and is to be extended even to the inmates," added Dr. Muhia.
She was speaking at the Machakos GK Prison during the monthly tree planting Greening Kenya exercise, where she, along with other prison officials, planted trees at the Machakos prison and Probation office. This effort has resulted in the planting of over 1,500 trees, with an expectation of reaching 50,000 trees across all correctional facilities in the country.
"We anticipate planting in excess of 50,000 trees that correctional services have planted across the country in compliance with greening Kenya by 2032," added Dr. Muhia.
Dr. Muhia acknowledged the efforts of convicts at the correctional facilities who have been taught farming as part of their vocational training by watering and taking care of the trees. This initiative has promoted environmental sustainability and aims to achieve the presidential directive of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
She also commended the support from county governments and other well-wishers in constructing boreholes that supplement during rain shortages and help take care of the trees around the prisons and probation offices across the country.
The PS further noted they conducted an inspection of the Machakos probation offices and the prison to assess ongoing initiatives and perform a needs assessment to ensure effective rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.