The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare delivery for inmates, with renewed emphasis on mental health services, the welfare of female inmates and efforts to secure nationwide health insurance coverage for persons in custody.

Sylvester Nwakuche, controller-general of Corrections, made this known during the flag-off of the second phase of the 2026 nationwide distribution of essential drugs and medicaments to correctional commands and custodial centres across the country.

Nwakuche said the initiative reflects the Service’s determination to provide humane custody and quality healthcare in line with the provisions of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, stressing that access to adequate medical care remains central to the rehabilitation and reformation of inmates.

“The quarterly distribution of medicines is part of a broader healthcare reform programme designed to strengthen medical services in custodial centres, reduce the burden of diseases, improve mental healthcare for vulnerable inmates and support their overall wellbeing while in custody”, he explained.

The Controller-General said his administration has placed particular attention on the healthcare needs of female inmates, describing them as one of the most vulnerable groups within correctional facilities.

According to him, the Service is addressing gender-specific healthcare challenges by prioritising menstrual hygiene management and other sanitary needs to preserve the dignity and wellbeing of women in custody.

Nwakuche also disclosed that the Nigerian Correctional Service is intensifying efforts to ensure inmates are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a move he said would provide sustainable access to quality healthcare across custodial centres nationwide.

He noted that while several state governments have already enrolled inmates into their respective state health insurance schemes, discussions are at an advanced stage to secure nationwide coverage under the framework of the National Health Insurance Authority.

According to him, expanding health insurance coverage for inmates will improve access to medical services, strengthen disease prevention efforts and contribute to more effective rehabilitation outcomes.

Also speaking, Glory Essien, Assistant Controller-General of Corrections in charge of Medical Services, described the nationwide distribution of essential drugs as a major milestone in the Service’s ongoing healthcare reforms.

Essien said the intervention would significantly improve the health and wellbeing of inmates while reducing the risk of epidemics and the spread of communicable diseases within custodial facilities across the country.

She urged medical personnel and caregivers in all correctional commands to ensure the judicious, transparent and accountable use of the drugs.

She stressed that the medicines must be deployed strictly for their intended medical purposes in line with professional and ethical standards.

On his part, Muhammed Bashir, Assistant Controller-General of Corrections in charge of Pharmacy, said the Service has established a comprehensive monitoring and reporting mechanism to ensure accountability in the distribution and utilisation of pharmaceutical supplies.

Bashir explained that the accountability framework provides effective oversight of drug usage, promotes transparency in the management of medicines and guarantees that the drugs reach inmates for whom they are intended.

He noted that the monitoring system would also help track utilisation patterns across custodial centres and strengthen confidence in the Service’s healthcare delivery system.

Nwakuche expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his continued support for correctional reforms, which he said has contributed significantly to improving healthcare services and inmate welfare.

He also commended Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, for what he described as sustained strategic interventions that have strengthened healthcare delivery and accelerated ongoing reforms within the Nigerian Correctional Service.

The Controller-General reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to sustaining reforms that protect the health, dignity and mental wellbeing of inmates while advancing its constitutional mandate of safe custody, rehabilitation, reformation and successful reintegration of inmates into society.