Is Kenge Central Prison affected by tuberculosis? At least four detainees died in less than a week in various circumstances, including two from tuberculosis. According to the provincial Minister of Justice, the first two deaths concerned convicts suffering from tuberculosis, while the other two were sudden deaths.
Timothée Nzundu, provincial Minister of Justice, indicates that an investigation is underway in this prison to determine possible contamination or assess the extent of the risk.
“The provincial governor, Ir Willy Bitwisila, instructed us to send a team to establish a diagnosis in order to understand what caused the death of these prisoners. Tuberculosis being a contagious disease, we rushed the “sending a medical team to carry out diagnostics and provide us with results”, said Timothée Nzundu.
Built during the colonial era to accommodate 35 prisoners, Kenge Central Prison is today severely overcrowded, housing 227 prisoners, including 80 convicts. This prison overcrowding could worsen health risks, highlighting the urgency of this investigation.
Jonathan Mesa
