Reference :
V-F-CR-F-01611-N
Date :
07/2016
Title :
Madagascar : détention et malnutrition : une double peine parfois fatale = Madagascar : malnutrition can turn a prison sentence into a death sentence
Duration :
00:05:39
Editor :
GRAENISCHER, Laurent
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Production company :
ICRC
ICRC producer :
REVOL, Didier
Production reference :
AV489N
Description :
Almost one in every two prisoners in Madagascar suffers from moderate or severe malnutrition. In 2015, more than 9,000 inmates were identified as malnourished and treated as part of an emergency food programme aiming to get this extremely vulnerable population back on their feet and prevent malnutrition-related deaths. With more than 4,000 prisoners already treated so far in 2016, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is on track to reach the 2015 figure by the end of the year.
Madagascar was badly hit by the economic crisis and the authorities are finding it increasingly difficult to feed the country’s 22,000 strong prison population. Official ministry of justice orders specify that each inmate should receive a daily ration of 750 grams of cassava but, in reality, they rarely receive more than 300 grams.
That is why the ICRC launched a national feeding programme in 2011 with the active participation of the prison authorities, who were very concerned about inmates’ welfare. Prison nurses weigh and measure all the prisoners every month and send the data to the ICRC. The ICRC analyses this data and focusses its feeding programme on moderately and severely malnourished inmates, who are examined on a weekly basis. Their recovery normally takes around three months. In each detention facility it is volunteers from the prisons’ chaplaincy association who prepare the special meals every day for the malnourished detainees.
The situation did not improve overnight. The ICRC had to overhaul the whole food production chain, improve the wood fuel supply, build better ovens, and standardize the plates and ladles used to ensure that every detainee received the right amount of food.
In 2011, when the feeding programme was first set up, the prison authorities were registering around 150 deaths per year in the prison population, over two thirds of which were linked to malnutrition.
In 2015, there were unfortunately still more than 50 deaths, half of which was linked to malnutrition.
French title :
Madagascar : détention et malnutrition : une double peine parfois fatale
English title :
Madagascar : malnutrition can turn a prison sentence into a death sentence
Colour/B&W :
colour
SD/HD :
HD
Resolution :
1920 x 1080
Aspect ratio :
16/9
Original material/format :
H264
Best material/format available :
ProRes 422
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