Inside a Ghanaian prison, where inmates are crammed together and close contact spreads skin diseases: Everything hurts; you can't move all night'

"The cell parent (a senior prisoner who is given some mediation tasks) and one of the high-ranking guards give the order. Of the inmates sitting on the floor, 11 lie down, with heads resting alongside feet. This is how 60 human beings manage to fit into the meager 376 square feet available in one of the cells at Kumasi Central Prison, in Ghana."

"The vast majority of them slept on the floor for years, before being able to have one of the 30 beds. The only sounds are the whirring of the fans overwhelmed by the September heat and the click of a camera. It captures a stark reality that, at least in this prison, the administration seems intent on resetting. The process begins with openly displaying what's going on."

"It's no coincidence that these 11 prisoners are chosen: their bodies emaciated largely because they only eat twice a day are able to be crammed between the legs of the bunk beds. Everything hurts; you can't move all night, one of the inmates laments. The men are constantly forced into close quarters, which raises concerns about the spread of disease."

Sixty inmates are crowded into a 376-square-foot cell, with 11 lying head-to-foot on the floor to make room. Most prisoners sleep on the floor for years before obtaining one of only 30 beds. Limited meals leave many emaciated, and constant close quarters increase disease risk. Cells contain shared drinking water and toilets placed awkwardly inside rooms. Fans struggle against September heat while a television plays for a few. Nationwide prison occupancy averaged 137% across 43 facilities as of August, and Kumasi Central Prison registered a 157% occupancy on September 23.

Read at english.elpais.com