17 Sajiwa inmates test HIV positive
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 01 2011:
In all 17 inmates in Central Sajiwa Jail have been confirmed to be HIV positive out of the test conducted on the blood samples of 38 inmates.
As a step towards prevention of further spread of the disease among the inmates, tattooing inside the jail has been banned.
The HIV status of some of the inmates in the jail came to light after the project on HIV/AIDS intervention programme was launched in Sajiwa Jail by Governor Gurbachan Jagat on December 1 last year.
The project has been taken up as a joint venture of Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNO-DC) and the Jail authorities with Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP+) as the implementing agency.
A joint official team comprising Project Director of MACS Pradip K Jha, Regional Expert (HIV/AIDS) of UNODC R Gunasekhar, SP (Jail) Memthing and other officials visited Sajiwa Jail today to inspect the progress of the implementation of the said project.
There are around 600 inmates in the jail, out of whiom the blood samples of 38 inmates have been collected for testing under the project and the test results confirmed 17 HIV positive cases.
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The doctor, who is in-charge of ART and counselling of the inmates under the project, explained that the blood samples of 38 inmates have been collected for testing after considering their histories and 17 of them are confirmed to be HIV positive.
Among the 17 inmates who have been confirmed to be HIV positive, five of them have already been brought under ART treatment at JN Hospital, while the process is on for counting the CD4 of 10 others so as to start ART treatment, the doctor informed, adding that among the inmates who have been confirmed to be HIV positive, there are cases of needle/syringe sharing and unprotected sex.
With detection of HIV positive cases among the inmates of Sajiwa Jail, the jail authorities have imposed restriction on tattooing as a step towards prevention of further spread of the disease.
Representatives of MNP+ have pointed out that proper counselling of the inmates by a Psychiatrist/ doctor is essential since majority of them suffered from anxiety, depre- ssion and other mental health related problems.
As of now, the NGO has been providing counselling to the inmates thrice a week.
Project Director of MACS Pradip K Jha has assured that an ART link would be opened in Sajiwa Jail very soon and training on HIV would be imparted among the staff and security personnel of the jail.
According to the jail authorities no trial have been ever conducted against the inmates who have been arrested and lodged in the jail in connection with cases related to drugs.