By Kate Green of RNZA prisoner with a burst appendix was told it was a stomach bug, and waited six days to be admitted to hospital for surgery. The Health and Disability Commissioner said multiple registered nurses saw the woman, but their clinical impression was that of a viral infection. The prison has denied clinical staff said this. Ms A said she was in a vulnerable and dependent state, and the clinical staff did not do enough to escalate her care. "The medical care Ms A received fell short of what is rightly expected of us.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 16, 2026 01:15 UTC