Arabic version: مذكرات داخلية تكشف عن مخاطر صحية في منازل المراقبة في الإقليم الشمالي

Internal memos have surfaced indicating that a senior official from the Northern Territory Health department raised concerns about significant clinical and reputational risks in police watch houses during the height of the territory’s 2024 prison crisis. According to ABC News, these documents highlight overcrowding and inadequate medication management as critical issues.

The memos, marked as urgent, reveal alarming incidents, including a prisoner who suffered vision loss due to a lack of prescribed eye drops. Another case involved a person with chest pain who could not communicate effectively with health staff due to a language barrier. The documents also pointed to difficulties in providing emergency care and identifying individuals needing urgent treatment at the Darwin Correctional Centre, which was also experiencing significant overcrowding.

An investigation report by Acting NT Ombudsman Bronwyn Haack previously described the dire conditions in police watch houses, where prisoners struggled to access necessary medical care. Complaints included the inability to see a nurse or receive medications, raising questions about the adequacy of health services in these facilities. The situation gained further attention following the death of 44-year-old Kumanjayi Dempsey in a police watch house, leading to a lawsuit against the government for negligence.

Despite claims from NT Corrections Minister Gerard Maley that conditions have improved since the Country Liberal Party took power, legal advocates argue that access to health care remains a pressing issue. Ben Grimes, chief executive of the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency, emphasized that many prisoners still experience significant health service access problems, with some arriving in custody with open, untreated wounds. He warned that delays in medical care could have life-threatening consequences for individuals with complex health needs.