Health care in Michigan prisons (or lack of!)

The MDOC claims that health care is improving in Michigan prisons.

We received these requests for help, from three different facilities, so far this week!

1. ...for at least 3 weeks his blood pressure has been running very high. The facility apparently has no pharmacist to dispense the drugs...he says he has not had some medications he was supposed to have had 3 weeks ago. There is no nephrologist available to see him. The doctor doesn't want to deal with him. He is retaining water, finding it hard to breathe and has a headache. Nurses pass him from one person to another as he tries to find out when to go to dialysis, etc.

2. ...he has many health problems, he just had a biopsy done on his breast, waited years and many written messages and telephone calls before anyone did anything about it. He thinks it is infected, and is in pain. He has been vomiting blood for a long time.

3. ...this prisoner was found lying naked in the shower, moaning because he could not get up. He said he has been having episodes of losing all motor ability for a while, they won't do anything about it. Other prisoners believe that he is dangerously ill, are upset about it and want someone to help ASAP.

You be the judge!

Doug Tjapkes
HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS
20 W. Muskegon Avenue
Muskegon, MI 49440

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