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UNITED NATIONS STANDARD MINIMUM RULES FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRISONERS
2. Young prisoners, and others of suitable age and physique, shall receive
physical and recreational training during the period of exercise. To this end,
space, installations and equipment should be provided.
Health-care services
Rule 24
1. The provision of health care for prisoners is a State responsibility.
Prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available
in the community, and should have access to necessary health-care services
free of charge without discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.
2. Health-care services should be organized in close relationship to the
general public health administration and in a way that ensures continuity of
treatment and care, including for HIV, tuberculosis and other infectious
diseases, as well as for drug dependence.
Rule 25
1. Every prison shall have in place a health-care service tasked with
evaluating, promoting, protecting and improving the physical and mental
health of prisoners, paying particular attention to prisoners with special
health-care needs or with health issues that hamper their rehabilitation.
2. The health-care service shall consist of an interdisciplinary team with
sufficient qualified personnel acting in full clinical independence and shall
encompass sufficient expertise in psychology and psychiatry. The services
of a qualified dentist shall be available to every prisoner.
Rule 26
1. The health-care service shall prepare and maintain accurate, up-todate and confidential individual medical files on all prisoners, and all
prisoners should be granted access to their files upon request. A prisoner
may appoint a third party to access his or her medical file.
2. Medical files shall be transferred to the health-care service of the
receiving institution upon transfer of a prisoner and shall be subject to
medical confidentiality.
Rule 27
1. All prisons shall ensure prompt access to medical attention in urgent
cases. Prisoners who require specialized treatment or surgery shall be
transferred to specialized institutions or to civil hospitals. Where a prison
service has its own hospital facilities, they shall be adequately staffed and