Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Dr. Chileshe Chisela
Zambia Prisons Service has disclosed that six out of ten children whose mothers are serving prison sentences in prisons across the country are malnourished.
Prisons Service Deputy Commissioner General Chileshe Chisela says the situation is disheartening and requires the attention of all relevant stakeholders.
Dr. Chisela who is also Zambia Prisons Service Director of Health Services notes that despite the prisons authorities doing its level best to ensure that all inmates especially mothers with breast feeding babies are have a decent meal this is not enough.
He states that due to depression and the pathetic conditions in prisons most mothers are forced to stop breastfeeding and depend on feeding their babies with the available prison meals.
Dr Chisela has since appealed to well wishers to extend a helping hands to the breastfeeding mothers in prisons by providing them with nutritious food for their children.
He says it is unfortunate that once a breastfeeding mother is jailed, they have no option but to be with their babies in prison.
Dr. Chisela has also revealed that in the past year the Prisons has had cases were babies were constantly infected with communicable diseases, but that at the moment the situation has improved as the Prisons Service has strived to maintain high standards of hygiene.