Malagasy prisoners starving to death

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction about Madagascar’s prison conditions.

The organisation says almost one in every two prisoners in the country suffers from moderate or severe malnutrition and has treated over 4000 prisoners this year.

Chronic malnutrition affects as much as two-thirds of inmates in some prisons and is the most common cause of deaths amid overcrowding and poor funding.

Madagascar’s economy plummeted in the aftermath of the 2009 coup and its prison system is rapidly deteriorating.

The ICRC in 2011 set up a feeding programme which it says is not still not enough, as each inmate rarely receives more than 300 grams of cassava, way less than the stipulated 750 grams .