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| Jail inmate claims correctional health staff discontinued life saving medication |
| By KPHO |
| Published: 04/19/2004 |
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A valley mother believes her son is serving a death sentence for DUI. The 5i-Team's Chris Hayes is investigating a case in which jail doctors took an HIV patient off of his potentially life saving medications. The inmate's mother said her son was diagnosed with HIV three years ago and his private doctor worked with him for months. "It took him over a year and a half to bring him around with different types of medication." In jail, he's under the care of Correctional Health Services or CHS. Court transcripts show the inmate's doctor, Norman Rychlik, is concerned about his treatment in several areas. He said, "I think a lot of people didn't believe he was sick, that he was faking his seizures. And I have taken care of him since '92, and it is for real." The 5i-Team has heard it before from former inmates like Bill Chmura. Chmura said he couldn't get his blood pressure medication. "I thought I was going to die." ACLU attorney Eleanor Eisenberg said, "Ultimately we're going to pay for it." Eisenberg said the stories are common. "..just a tremendous number of people who are in pain who have illnesses that are well documented and are not being treated." CHS Medical Services Director Dr. Gale Steinhauser said, "They deserve the same medical treatment as anybody else does." Steinhauser said she can't discuss specific details, but said they treat everyone appropriately. The inmate's mother said he's begun to get better care, such as getting to see his own doctor, but only after help from an attorney. She said he looks like he's wasting away -- losing more than 40 pounds -- and no longer resembling the son she remembers. Claims against Correctional Health Services have nearly doubled over the last four fiscal years -- costing taxpayers at least two-million dollars so far. The inmate's mother wants him to get out healthy -- and not to be a burden for all of us. |
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