The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) on Sunday revealed that at least 600 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were found to have boils amid the severe heat also being endured in jail facilities.

In a radio interview, BJMP spokesperson Jail Chief Inspector Jayrex Bustinera disclosed that the agency is monitoring the skin diseases that develop and spread among PDLs during this seasonal hot weather, followed by hypertension and gastroenteritis.

“We have now monitored 600 cases of boil. We have also recorded a few cases of heat rash. Hypertension is also pretty common,” said Bustinera, adding that the extreme heat and overcrowding pose health risks for PDLs in the country’s city jails.

Bustinera also revealed that last year, the largest number of cases they recorded among PDLs was gastroenteritis — also known as stomach flu — along with boils, heat rash, fungal infection and conjunctivitis.

“This is why we encourage PDLs to take daily baths and to drink plenty of water. Visitors of PDLs are also only allowed to bring cooked food to avoid food spoilage,” said Bustinera, adding that the 482 BJMP facilities have nurses that are on duty 24/7.

“We have enough medicine for them. We now have a budget for the medication of PDLs but it’s not that much,” Bustinera said.

“So one of our strategies is to coordinate with the health departments of local government units so we can also augment our resources when it comes to medicines,” he added.