Rates of HIV infection among prison populations are much higher

[Guest guest]

Weaning Prisoners Away From Drugs And HIV Tough But Possible

(JUNE 26 IS INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT

TRAFFICKING)

Monday 25th of June 2007 Drug use among prisoners is a huge problem

that leads to HIV transmission in overcrowded jails and weaning them

away from it is possible but tough, according to the UN Office on

Drugs and Crime (UNODC) regional centre for South Asia here.

As a result, 'all over the world, rates of HIV infection among prison

populations are much higher than in the general population,' Jayadev

Sarangi of UNODC points out.

'Drug use in general, and injecting drug use (IDU) in particular, as

well as violence and the practice of men having sex with men are

widespread in prisons, leading to HIV transmission,' Sarangi

says. 'Many prisoners share needles to inject drugs. This is also an

important mode of HIV transmission.'

Most prisons in South Asia are overcrowded, leading to higher risk of

infection. According to the International College for Prison Studies

in Kings College, London, in 2004-05 the occupancy levels in prisons

were 277.1 percent in Bangladesh, 139 percent in India, 147.4 percent

in the Maldives, 142.6 percent in Nepal and 193.2 percent in Sri

Lanka.

UNODC is working among more than 20,000 prisoners in South Asia on

issues related to drugs and HIV. It has also been building the

capacities of 4,250 prison officials, welfare officers, doctors and

volunteers to work with prisoners on these issues.

'Currently there is growing awareness and widespread concern about

drugs and HIV/AIDS in prisons, though it may take a while to change

the legal and institutional framework for working with prisoners,'

Sarangi says. UNODC has found that there is an urgent need for

training custodial and rehabilitation agencies, and of greater

coordination between them.

The process of weaning anyone away from drug abuse involves giving

him smaller and smaller doses of the drug. The UN organisation has

suggested that these drugs be made available by the authorities to

ensure that they are not contaminated, and that voluntary groups be

involved in the detoxification process.

UNODC has stressed several other issues that need attention while

working with prisoners. These include reduction in overcrowding,

other sentencing programmes and separation of juveniles from adult

prisoners.

Many people are in prison for the sole crime of being drug users,

Sarangi points out. UNODC has suggested that treating these people

may be an alternative to imprisonment.

UNODC has also suggested confidential and voluntary counselling and

testing for HIV among prisoners. Sarangi says: 'This should be

followed by psychosocial support, antiretroviral therapy, improved

hygiene, sanitation and diet for HIV-infected prisoners.'

The UN organisation has also suggested similar care for prisoners

suffering from other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis

and hepatitis B and C.

The intervention programme has not reached most of the prisoners in

South Asia. But UNODC has found positive results wherever it has

reached. 'As people prepare to observe June 26 as the International

Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the need is to expand

this and similar programmes many times,' according to Sarangi.

(The UNODC can be contacted at bidisha.pillai@...)

http://newspostindia.com/report-4772