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Journalism of Courage
VADODARA, July 21: Encouraged by the success of the mini workshops and production units run by skilled and unskilled inmates, the authorities of the Baroda Central Jail have now begun utilising the services of professionals serving sentences there.
A qualified dentist, Rajnikant Patel, who is serving a life-term for his wife’s murder, is running a dental clinic within the jail premises. Set up at a cost of Rs 2.5 lakh provided by the Centre, the clinic was inaugurated by Minister of Jail and Social Welfare Gabhajibhai Thakore on Sunday.
Incidentally, the minister himself was the first patient to be treated by Patel. Not only the minister, jail officials, too, got their teeth stains removed in the clinic.
According to Jail Superintendent Ramniwas Meena, Patel had been an experienced dentist — he had a clinic in Anand — before being imprisoned on the order of an additional sessions judge of Nadiad in April 1989.
Since a number of jail inmates suffered from toothaches and other dental problems, the authorities decided to utilise the government grant to set up a dental clinic to treat prisoners in theBaroda Central Jail premises itself, Meena said.
“Apart from saving time on transporting the prisoners to hospital, this removes the risks involved in escorting prisoners outside the jail,” he added.
The jail also had laboratories for eye, blood, urine and cholesterol tests, Meena said, adding that they were now trying to provide medical facilities for inmates with hearing problems and sexually transmitted diseases. They also wanted to set up an X-ray unit, he said, adding that three convicts were being sent daily to the Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad hospital for the necessary training.
They planned to prepare a complete medical history of all the patients, Meena said.
When asked who would run the dental clinic once Patel had served his term, Meena said the Sir Sayajirao Gaekwad Hospital authorities had promised to take over in that event. They had also offered assistance in cases the inmates could not handle, he added.
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