Making prisons and places of detention resilient to infectious diseases: the London conclusions

Overview

As part of the work of the WHO Health in Prisons Programme and its partners, an international conference was held in London, United Kingdom, on 20–21 June 2023 to discuss health in prisons and other places of detention. International experts in prison health met to evaluate evidence from the immediate post-coronavirus disease 2019 (‎COVID-19)‎ period on making prisons and places of detention resilient to infectious diseases, including epidemic and pandemic threats. Speakers addressed five themes: prepare, prevent, detect, respond and building connectedness with the wider health system. The conclusion of the Conference was: Prison and other detention centres can be made resilient to infectious diseases by using a public health approach to make prison health an essential component of emergency preparedness, response and resilience strategies.