Management of SARS nCoV 2 in prison settings: Lessons from Migori GK Prison, Kenya

Introduction: Conditions within prisons and high human traffic fuels spread of outbreaks within prisons. Security and ethical-legal dilemma complicates patient management in prisons.

Purpose: Assess treatment and isolation outcomes of patients admitted in the prison treatment units.

Methods: Cross-sectional and cohort retrospective designs were adopted. All those who tested positive were recruited. Top officials and healthcare workers seconded to prison treatment center were respectively identified for key informant interviews and focused group discussions.

Data collection: Data on treatment outcomes was abstracted from medical records while data on staff perception was collected using focused group discussions and key informant interviews.

Data analysis: Data was managed in R version R-4.0.3 and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used, summaries were presented in frequency tables and graphs.

Results: 117 patients had been admitted into the treatment unit with all being males save for one female. The average length of stay was 18 days. There was an inverse correlation between age and length of stay. (-0.1092). There was observed reduced security risks and cross-infection amongst prison wardens compared to when prisoners were being transferred to the general treatment units.

Discussion: Improved patients outcomes with reduced risks of cross-infections amongst prisoners, staffs and staffs to family members enhanced confidence of health care workers. Ethical and legal dilemmas of detaining rumandees released on cash-bail remained a key challenge.

Conclusion: Management of outbreaks within prison settings has more benefits compared to when inmate patients are transferred to general treatment centers.

Recommendation: Benefits of managing outbreaks within areas of confinement outweighs risks of otherwise. Thus we recommend management of similar cases within prisons.