Tuberculosis medication stopped in prison

[Spock]

I have a Thai friend doing a long stretch in a Thai prison. He contracted TB about 8 months ago, but received no treatment for a least the first 2 months. I visited and made a personal appeal to prison staff and the 'doctor' as a result of which (but more so my friends obvious deterioration in health) he was taken to a hospital and diagnosed with TB.

At one point he lost the use of his limbs and his bones protruded from his rib cage, his legs looked like match sticks and his knees were badly swollen. He spent a month in hospital with his wife at his side. He used a wheelchair for another 2 months to get around in prison. Four months into his treatment, on one of my visits, I was required to pay 1000 baht to obtain his medication from another hospital because the doctor had not done the necessary paperwork to switch his 'but prachachon' over from his home to the prison district This switch was supposed to have been made prior to his hospital admission, but did not occur.

Every month he along with fellow prisoners with TB, are taken to a hospital for blood tests and given medication for the next month. When the last visit was meant to occur, the prison director apparently decided that none of the sick prisoners would be taken to hospital for tests. I don't know the reasons why the director denied the prisoners to attend the hospital for tests. My friend's wife tried to obtain the drugs for him, but was told at the hospital that drugs could only be given after blood had been tested.

I am in Australia, but have been back and forth throughout the last 2 years to visit and pay money into his prison account. I feel helpless to assist. Anyone familiar with tuberculosis would know that patients need to take around four different drugs over a period of at least 6-9 months. Failure to do so before the infection is out of the system has dire consequences. The disease becomes resistant to the drugs and if treatment is resumed and new drugs are used they are generally less effective and have more side effects. There is also a chance of reinfection and spreading the disease to others.

I returned from Thailand just a month ago. I want to help not only my friend but all the other TB victims who are being denied access to their drugs. I can speak some Thai but am by no means fluent. I use a translator to send correspondence between us.

TB is rife in Thai jails because of overcrowding. Prisoners with the illness are ostracised by other prisoners who are frightened to catch the disease, even when the prisoners are not infectious. My friend had to buy all of his food because the other prisoners would not allow him to neat with them. When he could not walk, he had to pay a prisoner to go buy and collect food for him.

Many years ago I had foreign contacts in the Bangkok Post and The Nation, but these people have since left the country. Does anyone have a suggestion as to who to appeal to for help for these prisoners? It is tantamount to murder to deny access to life saving drugs. I cannot believe that prisoners can be treated so abhorrently and carelessly.

[Spock]

I should add that it is now 2 weeks since prisoners last received medication.

[cyberfarang]

When people are sent to prison in Thailand they are left there to rot because there is very little government assistance for them. The prisoners that are supported by their families or have money will receive the most favourable treatments, better quality food and medical care.

If you want prisoners to receive proper medical, then you will have to fund them yourself.

[speedtripler]

Shout it from the rooftops anyway and get public attention of you can but right now his best hope to survive tb is if you buy him the medicine

Thai prisons are a disgrace, in a country that wants to be called civilised etc

People in for minor issues sometimes don't even survive and nobody cares about them especially the foreign ones who have no family

[kkerry]

If you want prisoners to receive proper medical, then you will have to fund them yourself.

Even that does not always work if you have corrupt prison officers selling off medicine to the highest bidder rather than allow it to be given to the intended prisoner.

[Spock]

The hospital won't give out the medicine without a blood test. The blood test cannot be done if the supervisor will not allow the prisoners to be taken to the hospital for them. For 5 months the prisoners have been sent for tests and now it has suddenly stopped. Paying for the medicines, which his wife tried to do, will not work without the tests each month.

[speedtripler]

You could try amnesty international or some such group but I think they've already given up on Thai prisons as being beyond help... If you could get it into a newspaper like the nation or bk post the pm might notice that and order the prison governor or minister to do something... But that's a very big if...

[Spock]

You could try amnesty international or some such group but I think they've already given up on Thai prisons as being beyond help... If you could get it into a newspaper like the nation or bk post the pm might notice that and order the prison governor or minister to do something... But that's a very big if...

Good advice. I immediately tried the Bangkok Post with the details of prison, hospital etc included. I have had no reply. I will try the Nation tomorrow. At times like this, you realise how small and insignificant you and your small circle of loved ones really are. It's all very humbling, and crushingly depressing. I've done all I can short of making myself public enemy number one at a prison that has no foreign prisoners or visitors. I will try Amnesty because I haven't tried them yet.

[The Snark]

I'd suggest a very carefully worded open letter to the AI, HRW, and WHO, along with a CC to the administrative authority in charge of Thai prisons. Make the letter very short and concise. Rewrite and reword until it gets the point home with the fewest number of sentences.

Medically, everyone has TB. Most people are healthy enough to fight it off. It is an opportunity infector that gets going when the immune system is compromised. Poor diet is a major contributor.

[Spock]

I'd suggest a very carefully worded open letter to the AI, HRW, and WHO, along with a CC to the administrative authority in charge of Thai prisons. Make the letter very short and concise. Rewrite and reword until it gets the point home with the fewest number of sentences.

Medically, everyone has TB. Most people are healthy enough to fight it off. It is an opportunity infector that gets going when the immune system is compromised. Poor diet is a major contributor.

What is the AI?

Poor diet and overcrowding make Thai prisoners very susceptible to TB.

Thanks for the advice.

[katana]

As stated, tuberculosis is closely linked to both overcrowding and malnutrition both of which are present in Thai prisons so he'll be putting the other prisoners and staff at risk.

[Spock]

As stated, tuberculosis is closely linked to both overcrowding and malnutrition both of which are present in Thai prisons so he'll be putting the other prisoners and staff at risk.

Not just him but all the other sufferers who have been denied further medication. The other prisoners already ostracise them because they believe they will catch TB from them. Bad luck if they have no money to buy food because the other prisoners won't let them eat with them. I have sent emails to Richard Barrows, Bangkok Post, WHO and HRW. No reply yet.