Ecuador prisons face tuberculosis outbreak amid inadequate nutrition and overcrowding

A Ministry of Health report found that prisons in Ecuador, including the Penitenciaría del Litoral in Guayaquil, do not provide special diets for inmates with tuberculosis, malnutrition, HIV or other chronic illnesses. Officials noted that food rations are quantitatively and qualitatively deficient, lacking the high‑protein, high‑calorie content needed for TB patients to recover.

During a February 2026 visit, the national ombudsman observed a menu of soup, rice, squid ceviche, juice and maize porridge, and health professionals warned that such meals may not meet the nutritional needs of vulnerable prisoners and could even cause gastrointestinal infections. A court case concluded that the right to adequate food had been violated, and a human‑rights report highlighted that the catering company lacks accurate inmate counts, hampering proper meal planning. Overcrowding and limited medical care create a high risk of TB spreading from prisons to families, lawyers and staff, raising broader public‑health concerns.