Aweil Central Prison authorities have reported an outbreak of boils and itching skin in the jail.

State Prison Officer Colonel Yoruba Izakil Okole says the majority of inmates have come down with the affliction.

Doctors have been called in to investigate the ailment, which has been epidemic in the jail for several months.

Colonel Yoruba Izakil says the illness has spread because of overcrowding and a lack of medication to treat it.

“Prisoners are suffering,” said Colonel Izakil. “We refer them to Aweil civil hospital for treatment and sometimes they [hospital] don’t have drugs.

“Aweil Central Prison has more than 500 inmates in a space that was designed to hold 150.”

Prisoner Awit Dau Chol Dau, who contracted the illness several months ago, said the suffering is nearly unbearable.

“It makes the skin itch. I don’t sleep throughout the night because of the pain in the body and there is no good drug. I am so tired.”

Prison officials have asked the state health ministry to provide emergency medication for the prisoners to stop the disease from spreading further.