ICRC Warns Bangladesh Prisons Face Extra Challenge In Face Of Pandemic Spread - Official

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2020) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warns that prisons in Bangladesh could pose obstacles to efforts aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 due to their overpopulation and poor sanitary conditions, the public relations adviser for the ICRC Asia-Pacific told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"Detainees are a particularly vulnerable section of the population, especially in facilities that are overcrowded and have poor hygiene or lack ventilation. Detention facilities pose an extra challenge when it comes to preventing and containing infectious diseases, including COVID-19. We are working to enhance the preparedness of the 68 prisons across the country in the face of a possible outbreak together with the Prison Directorate and the Ministry of Home Affairs," Pawel Krzysiek said.

According to Krzysiek, the ICRC had already begun to implement infection prevention measures in Bangladeshi prisons to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among inmates.

"We have also started implementing infection prevention control measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus in the prisons. The first batch of such materials was handed over to the prison authorities on Thursday, April 2, 2020 at the country's central prison in Keraniganj," he stated.

The ICRC official added that the organization would distribute guidelines on the management of dead bodies contaminated by the coronavirus, as well as body bags.

"Similar bags were provided to the Al-Markajul Islami [Islamic educational institution] following a request from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare," he said.

According to Johns Hopkins University's count, there are 218 COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh, including 20 deaths.