Imphal: HIV programme for Sajiwa jail inmates kick starts

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HIV programme for Sajiwa jail inmates kick starts

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 15 2010: Recognising the rights of people in incarcerated

settings to adequate health initiatives, Manipur State AIDS Control Society

(MACS) in partnership with Jail Department and Manipur Network of Positive

People (MNP+) initiated a programme today to reach out to people in prisons and

check the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The prison intervention to be initiated at the Sajiwa jail will provide

requisite knowledge and skills on prevention of drug use and HIV/AIDS with the

aim of initiating behaviour change among the prison community, said a press

release.

The launch of the intervention today in Sajiwa jail, was attended by the SP,

Central Jail, other officials and members of MNP+ .

Themthing, SP Central Jail, said, " Such an initiative has been required in

Sajiwa jail where a large number of inmates are drug users.

A few inmates are HIV positive and they are on Anti retro viral therapy.

Linking prisons to external health services and making them available within the

prison is important " .

Currently around 620 male inmates are lodged in the Sajiwa jail while around 38

female are lodged in the Central jail in Imphal.

Sajiwa has witnessed incidence of inmates with history of drug use.

" The percentage of drug users among the inmates could be as high as 20 to 30

percent and it is our responsibility to look after their health " , stated

Themthing.

Studies on drugs use and HIV in prison settings clearly establishes the need for

a strategy for intervening amongst prison inmates in India.

The World Health Organisation report on people who inject drugs (WHO, 2010)

states that in 2006, it was estimated that around 372,271 prisoners were in 1336

corrections institutions across India with the numbers steadily increasing

leading to overcrowding.

In Tihar jail, Delhi in 2005; it was estimated that 8 pc of the population was

injecting drugs of whom 76 pc82 pc were using heroin.

Similarly studies on prison settings in Delhi found estimates of HIV prevalence

between 1999 and 2005 to be around 5 pc.

In seven studies of female prisoners in India, mv prevalence was 0-14 pc and

between male prisoners was between 1 pc ­7 pc.

In Sajiwa jail, services and linkages will be provided for Needle and syringe

exchange programmes (NSEP), Opioid substitution therapy (OST) and other drug

dependence treatment, HIV testing and counselling, Antiretroviral therapy (ART),

prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, condoms, targeted

information, education and communication (IEC) for people using drugs,

vaccination, diagnosis and treatment for viral hepatitis and tuberculosis (TB).

Starting January seven MNP+ will start sensitisation workshop for Assistant

Jailors, Assistant Warden, and other jail staffs.

" We are also providing services and awareness for jail inmates so that they

learn about the epidemic.

This will insure that once they are out of prison they are able to give up drugs

or practice safe sex and injecting practices and also able to educate others " ,

said Ng Ratan, Programme Manager, MNP+.

Abhiram Mongjam, JD (TI), MACS, said, " We are trying to ensure that our efforts

cover all significant populations at risk.

We cannot afford to neglect any group of people.

Services should reach each and everyone and inside the prison too.

The inmates like anyone else deserve treatment, care and support " .

Another important initiative taken by the Jail authorities is its partnership

with the positive network MNP+ to create HIV awareness.

In June 2009 drug user inmates in Sajiwa took part in an awareness programme

conducted by the network inside the jail.

In addition, the network intermittently reaches out and counsels prison inmates

who are living with mv or are need of information.

This has led to recognizing the need for a more long term service designed for

prison inmates.

" Since there is limited mobility a service package should be designed to address

their need The jail can be a place where they can learn rather than their stay

being perceived as punishment for a crime " , said Deepak of MNP+ .

Parents often put their children who are using drugs in prison, hoping that

incarceration for a few months will cure them of their drug use habit.

" The Sajiwa jail has numerous such drug user inmates, parents would do anything

to make their children leave drugs but imprisonment is not the solution; the

drug users become vindictive and take to drugs once they are set free.

They need to be introduced to other approaches like rehabilitation and OST.

We can help to create this awareness " , said Deepak.

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