Imphal, December 15 2010: Recognizing the rights of people in incarcerated settings to adequate health initiatives, Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS) in partnership with the Jail Department, Government of Manipur, and the 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 inmates.

The launch of the intervention today in Sajiwa jail, was attended by SP, Central Jail, other officials and members of MNP+ .

Themthing, SP Central Jail, stated, "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 are on Anti retro viral therapy (ART).

Linking prisons to external health services and making them available within the prison is important" .

Currently around 620 male inmates are lodged in Sajiwa jail while around 38 females 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 drug use and HIV in prison settings clearly establish 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% of the population were injecting drugs of whom 76%82% were using heroin.

Similarly other studies in prison settings in Delhi found estimates of HIV prevalence (between 1999 and 2005) to be around 5%.In seven studies of female prisoners in India, HIV prevalence was 0-14% and in male prisoners it was between 1%7% .

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 counseling, 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 7 MNP+ will start sensitisation workshops for Assistant Jailors, Assistant Wardens, and other jail staff.

"We are also providing services and awareness for jail inmates so that they learn about the epidemic.

This will ensure that once they are out of prison they will be able to give up drugs and practice safe sex and void injection practices and also to be able to educate others", Ng Ratan, Programme Manager, MNP+ said.

Speaking on the need for a prison intervention 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 prisons too.

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

Another important initiative taken up 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 HIV or are in 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 needs.

The jail can be a place where they can learn rather than perceiving their confinement as a punishment for a crime", said Deepak of MNP+ .

Parents often put their children who are drug addicts in prison, hoping that incarceration for a few months will cure them of their drug abuse.

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 again take to drugs once they are set free.

There is the need to introduce other approaches like rehabilitation and OST.

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

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