First group of 30 staff members from 13 penitentiary institutions of the Republic of Moldova were trained on medical examination upon admission, on documenting and reporting ill-treatment, and on managing individual medical files, statistics and registry books. The training covered important topics like screening for mental health issues, drug use, and infectious diseases that increase vulnerability of these inmates and risk of discrimination and ill-treatment.

The training brought together medical and non-medical staff, encouraging a multidisciplinary approach, better communication, and cooperation among various professional groups involved in prison health care. Through interactive sessions, discussions and case studies participants learned to overcome barriers related to interprofessional communication and understand the importance of comprehensive health evaluations for inmate wellbeing and community health.

This training is the first of a series of sessions planned for the entire penitentiary system, supported by Council of Europe and organised under the auspices of the Council of Europe Project "Further strengthening the prison and probation system, the provision of health care, and the treatment of patients in closed institutions in the Republic of Moldova". This training will help improve healthcare for inmates and better equip prison staff to handle health-related challenges.