Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (CHREAA) has announced that it has begun offering medical treatment to mentally challenged inmates following the winding up of a massive mental screening exercise in some of the country’s prisons.

Speaking to YFM, CHREAA Project Coordinator and Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Sphiwe Malihera said all the prisoners who have been diagnosed with mental problems upon entry in the prisons are put on treatment.

“We just had a mass mental screening exercise in three prisons of Chichiri, Bvumbwe and Zomba. Those inmates found with the mental problems are put on treatment we are also keeping on screening the newcomers,” Malihera said.

She said the outcome of the pilot project from the country’s three prisons of Chichiri, Bvumbwe and Zomba will determine whether or not the project should be expanded to all prisons in the country.

“We have the plans of expanding the project to other prisons apart from prisons we are implementing the project but this will depend on the results on the pilot project possibly we might be expanding the project come next year,” she said.