Officials concealing spread of skin disease in Harare Prisons

By Violet Gonda and Simon Muchemwa
17 February 2006

There has been a skin disease outbreak at Harare’s Central and Remand Prisons and it is understood the government has been silent on the matter while frantic efforts to curb the spread of the ailment have failed.

Most of the patients affected by this infection are allegedly being kept at the prison hospital but some are being treated in their prison cells due to a shortage of beds at the hospital. An officer at Harare Remand prison confirmed to SW Radio Africa on Friday that there was a skin disease that was affecting inmates. He said this is a problem that has been there for a while now. The prison official said the skin infection affecting the inmates is called Pellagra. This is caused by a vitamin deficiency characterised by scaly skin sores, diarrhoea, inflamed mucous membranes, mental confusion and delusions. 

Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa reports that he spoke with a prison officer from Harare Remand who said the prisoners were complaining of a hardened and itchy skin that spreads all over the body through scratching. Within two or three days the itching spots crack and bleeding starts.

Muchemwa said another officer’s explanation was that "This type of disease is not common among inmates but this year it has worsened due to the hiring of prisoners to work at ministers’ farms. They bring lorries to ferry them to their farms and pay about ZW$3 000 per prisoner. They expose these people to extreme conditions out there and when they come back sick, the ailment spreads throughout the whole prison." 

The number of those affected has not been disclosed so far, and information is hard to come by because senior prison officials are refusing to take the sick to Harare or Parirenyatwa hospitals fearing publicity.