James Ward is in jail, and is being killed one meal at a time. I saw the story in diaTribe last month and wasn’t quite sure what to think about it. Mr. Ward is, by no means, the picture of a model citizen, but that doesn’t mean he has to surrender the right to adequate healthcare while incarcerated.
Kelly Close and her team at diaTribe imagine that this situation is not unique, and that many inmates with health issues are not properly cared for. This is certainly not the first time I’ve heard of dangerous diabetes care in prison.
According to Philip Baker, a retired public health administrator in Austin, TX, “There is a strong belief in prisons that healthcare is a privilege, and it can be yanked. But that’s not the case. The felon is to be incarcerated but not mangled medically.”
I know this is a touchy subject for many. All I’m asking is that you take a look at the petition. Whether you sign it or not is nothing I need to know about.
More details can be found in diaTribe’s most recent issue.
