HARARE - The National AIDS Council has embarked on a study to establish the real statistics of those infected with HIV/AIDS in prisons. The data will be used to formulate evidence-based interventions for this vulnerable group.
In an interview last week, National AIDS Council Chief Executive, Dr Tapiwa Magure, said the council was looking for professionals to carry out the three-month intensive assessment throughout the country.
It is estimated that the country has a prison population of over 20,000, the maximum holding capacity and there has never been any survey to determine its populations HIV prevalence.
Prisoners like other vulnerable groups such as commercial sex workers, homosexuals and cross border truck drivers are usually forgotten in HIV and AIDS programs and yet they have a high risk of transmitting the pandemic.
Homosexuality and drug injection are the major ways through which HIV is believed to be spreading in prisons. NGOs have even suggested that prisoners should be issued with condoms so that the risk of spreading the disease is reduced.
During the HIV assessment we will be also looking at the numbers of inmates with TB so that we also deal with real cases rather than assumptions, said Magure.
The study also seeks to define risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission in prison and determine the availability and accessibility of services for HIV and AIDS prevention, care and treatment in the prison settings and document service delivery gaps for comprehensive HIV and AIDs prevention, care and treatment.
Post published in: News