[Principle of equal access to healthcare for prisoners].

PRINCIPLE OF EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR PRISONERS. The law of 18 January 1994, which vested the responsibility for the healthcare of prisoners in the public hospital service, has enabled the development of a comprehensive range of healthcare services. However, equal access to healthcare for prisoners is not completely ensured, because the conditions under which medical care is provided in prison exacerbate the diff iculties experienced by the hospital system in general, and the healthcare provision, theoretically egalitarian, does not suff iciently consider the significant health vulnerability of the prison population. Health units remain distant from the hospitals to which they are attached, and the security constraints imposed by prison can hinder access to care. While prison may off er an initial opportunity for contact with a doctor, it cannot be a place of care; for serious or chronic illnesses, suspensions of sentence for medical reasons must be developed.