Overcrowding, chronic illnesses: Doom and gloom at Yambio Central Prison

YAMBIO – A cloud of despair hangs over Yambio Central Prison as lawmakers raise the alarm about worsening living conditions marked by overcrowding, chronic illnesses, and the dangerous mixing of juveniles with adult inmates.

The revelations emerged after a Thursday inspection by the South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State Assembly’s Committee on Gender, Child, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, exposing what legislators describe as an unfolding humanitarian crisis inside the facility.

Commonly known as “Freedom Square,” the prison has long struggled with inadequate resources, but the latest findings paint an even bleaker picture. Committee chairperson Julie John said the visit aimed to assess justice administration and general welfare, and what they found was “deeply troubling.”

According to John, inmates are grappling with severe shortages of food, medicine, and clean drinking water. The facility also lacks a vocational training center—an essential component of rehabilitation that many inmates desperately need.

“We identified a situation of food shortage, lack of medication, water and a lack of a vocational training center,” she told reporters after the inspection. “This is not just a welfare issue; it is a human rights concern.”

Deputy chairperson Jenty William Bangafu described the environment as unsafe and unhealthy, particularly for juveniles and inmates suffering from chronic or infectious illnesses such as HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B.

She expressed concern over the lack of isolation rooms, noting that mixing vulnerable groups with the general population violates both health standards and child protection guidelines.

“They are not supposed to be together in one room. Juveniles and those with chronic illnesses deserve separate and safe spaces,” she said.

Prison director Maj. Gen. Jamal Juma Dahab corroborated the committee’s findings, listing food shortages, lack of clean water, inadequate medication, and insufficient blankets as some of the most urgent problems. He appealed to state authorities to escalate the matter to the national government for immediate support.

Inmates who spoke anonymously painted an even grimmer picture. They said they survive on a single daily meal of cowpeas, lack soap and other basic hygiene items, and have no access to essential drugs for chronic illnesses. Many also lamented prolonged pre-trial detention and pleaded for the establishment of a rehabilitation center offering vocational skills.

Lawmakers say the situation demands immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration.
Their recommendations include separating juveniles from adults, creating isolation spaces for inmates with infectious diseases, and improving access to food, water, and medical care.