A doctor has filed a complaint with the Order of Physicians highlighting significant shortcomings in healthcare at Haren Prison in Brussels.
General practitioner Brecht Verbrugghe compiled a 25-page document detailing these issues, as reported by Le Soir on Monday. Both VRT and RTBF have also reviewed the dossier.
Verbrugghe's document reveals problematic situations, which he describes as structural. These include deficiencies in the screening and treatment of hepatitis C and tuberculosis, and care being neglected due to logistical burdens.
The Directorate-General of Penitentiary Institutions (DG EPI) outlines that healthcare for prisoners should be equivalent to that provided to the general population. Verbrugghe asserts this is not the case, however.
The prison healthcare system is under strain, with shocking working conditions where patients are often neglected and healthcare providers feel powerless against an administration focused on punishment and control, according to the doctor.
Verbrugghe added that these healthcare deficiencies exacerbate existing tensions between the staff and inmates.
