Al-Sallam Mental Hospital exhausts food and medicinal supplies [Archives:2006/954/Local News]

HODEIDA, June 10 ) An official source at the Al-Sallam Mental Hospital in the Hodeida governorate disclosed Saturday that the hospital's food and medicinal supplies allotted for the treatment of inmates have been exhausted one month faster than scheduled. The source attributed the cause of the premature need to re-stock the hospital's pharmacy and kitchen to the number of beggars and mentally-sick people that security forces in Sana'a brought to the hospital prior to the commencement of the Yemeni unity festivities on May 22. The hospital's administration had to feed and provide medical services to some 350 new inmates, thus resulting in the quicker dissipation of pharmaceutical and food stocks.

Supplementary food and medicinal supplies have not been provided to the hospital for new inmates since their entry, even though they remain resident there currently. The hospital's administration was forced to provide them with food and medications from the supplies allocated to 170 inmates who were resident at the hospital before the 350 new inmates arrived. A hospital source, who preferred not to be identified, warned that hunger has become a threat to all inmates at the hospital if foodstuffs are not sent within the next twenty-four hours.

The same source told the News.Yemen website, which published the news on Saturday, that the hospital's administration has made contact with governorate security forces and the local authorities calling for the provision of food and pharmaceuticals in order to support current inmates at the hospital. Furthermore, the administration asked for a solution to be found for the new inmates whether that means releasing them or increasing the hospital's allotment of food and medical supplies so they can be properly cared for. No measures, so far, have been taken to resolve the problem.
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