A leading prisoners’ rights group in Sri Lanka has accused the prison healthcare system of being plagued by corruption and inequality, claiming that inmates with financial or political influence are granted preferential access to hospital facilities often without medical justification while others are denied basic care.
The Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) raised alarm in a statement issued on Thursday, following the arrest earlier this week of Dr. Hemantha Ranasinghe, the former Deputy Director of the Prison Hospital, on bribery charges.
According to the CPRP, this latest development highlights long-standing structural failings and widespread abuse within the prison medical system.
The group argues that the practice of selectively admitting inmates to hospital violates both the country’s Constitution and the Prisons Ordinance, which guarantee equal treatment and non-discriminatory access to medical care.
“Despite the legal safeguards, only those with political or financial clout gain access to the Prison Hospital,” said CPRP Chairperson and attorney Senaka Perera. “Some death row inmates have remained in the hospital for years. It is common for ministers to be admitted the moment they are remanded, often without any real illness enabled by prison doctors who are supposed to act ethically.”
The statement further alleged that doctors attached to the Prison Hospital have, in some cases, issued false medical certificates to facilitate these admissions, and that legal action has already been initiated against some medical staff.
The CPRP stressed that the vast majority of affected prisoners come from lower socio-economic backgrounds and are routinely denied timely and appropriate medical treatment, leading to serious human rights concerns.
Calling for urgent reform, the group demanded the establishment of an independent, transparent mechanism to oversee prison healthcare and ensure equitable access for all inmates. They also emphasised the need to prosecute medical professionals complicit in corruption.
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