The medical personnel working in penitentiary institutions, senior officials of the Ministry of Health, and the Directorate for the Execution of Sanctions (DES) of North Macedonia reviewed the prepared analysis that aims at introducing a Standardized register of injuries.

Considering its multi-dimensional importance, this novelty was discussed by a cross-section group that included doctors who cover six biggest penitentiary institutions, along with the representatives of the Ministry of Health responsible for legal affairs, e-health, primary healthcare, as well as the human resources of the Ministry, and the DES. In contrast to the current practice where each incident is separately registered, the proposed Standardized register of injuries would introduce uniformed system of data registration and analysis, allowing for improved oversight and interventions when needed. There was an agreement across the board for such a register, which should be integrated in the current system.

This register is foreseen under the National Strategy on the Development of the Penitentiary System (2021-25) and is envisaged to support the implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures on the provision of healthcare in prisons.

This activity was conducted in the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and its action “Strengthening the capacities of the penitentiary system in North Macedonia”.