Twelve doctors and other medical personnel working in seven penitentiary institutions in North Macedonia enhanced their knowledge on mental healthcare and dosage of psychiatric medication during the training held on 22 January 2024. The doctors work in the prison ambulances, while the participants are community psychiatrists visiting prisons or work in the first-response emergency units.  

Dosage of psychiatric medication, management of patients and suicide prevention was the key focus of the training delivered by a former member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The recently adopted Standard Operational Procedures on the provision of effective healthcare in prisons were discussed with the practitioners, considering their experience in its application.

Prisons in North Macedonia experience a serious shortage of medical personnel and mental healthcare professionals, making a proper training of those available even more important. The Council of Europe, with the support of the European Union, remains the only international organisation helping to train the medical personnel working in the prison establishments in the country.

This training 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”.