Prison inmates of Sajiwa Jail screened for HCV
Will ensure spread of HCV among prison inmates is curtailed: Jail authority
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 29 2018: With an aim to eliminate Hepatitis-C by 2030 as per the target of WHO and also to set an example for the Government to take up prison intervention programmes for viral Hepatitis, Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) in collaboration with BABINA Diagnostics, Nirvana Foundation and Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa organised an awareness cum screening camp on Hepatitis C at the premises of Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa today.

As a step towards elimination of Hepatitis C inside prison, awareness on HCV has been conducted on phase-wise manner.

Altogether 30 prison inmates were screened of Hepatitis C.Speaking on the sideline of the function, Manipur Central Jail SP Sokholal Touthang lauded the joint initiative taken up by CoNE in association with BABINA Diagnostics and Nirvana Foundation.

The SP informed that he would ensure safety of all prison inmates from contracting Hepatitis C.He assured that it is the prison authority's responsibility to ensure that spreading of Hep C among prison inmates is curtailed and for that sharing of razors among prison inmates has been strictly prohibited and added that sharing razor holding equipments will also be banned hereon.

Earlier, while speaking during the awareness programme, CoNE president RK Nalinikanta said that with the alarming rise of Hep C in the State and underlined the urgency for the Government to take up keen initiatives and provide free treatment to at least these sections of the society as an initial step before rolling out free treatment to all the people.

Although the Union Govt has launched the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme, wherein patients will be provided free diagnosis and treatment, the programme will take some time to implement in the State, he said while adding that CoNE has decided to kick off free treatment to prison inmates considering the graveness of the situation.

He said that the initiative has been taken to show the Govt that Hepatitis intervention programme can be take up inside the prison so that the Govt takes up similar programme inside the prison under the Viral Hepatitis Control Programme.

The function was attended by Medical Officer, Manipur Central Jail Dr Akoijam Khelendro, Medical Officer M Amarjit, Y Tomba of Nirvana Foundation, jail medical team and staff of CoNE.

Among these screened prison inmates, those whose results turned out to be reactive will be further sent for confirmation and those found positive will be provided free treatment by CoNE, he informed.

The awareness and screening programme on Hepatitis C has been organised to provide free treatment to the prison inmates as part of the free treatment programme initiated by CoNE.

This is the third time that CoNE has conducted such awareness and screening camp inside the prison.

CoNE has provided free treatment to prison inmates in two different phases with altogether 25 inmates getting treated.

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