HIV prevention in prisons

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Ministry and the Health Ministry have jointly started the 'Jeevithayata Nawa Eliyak' prison HIV and AIDS prevention programme according to a World Health Organization

plan to improve health facilities and save lives of the prison community by preventing HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, said National Sexually Transmitted Diseases STD and AIDS Control Programme Consultant Community Physician Dr. Janaki Vidanapathirana.

She was participating at the inauguration of the programme at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute recently.

Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said that it is necessary to increase health facilities at prisons as it is a place which spreads diseases to the society as most prisoners are prostitutes and drug addicts.

There are about 26,000 prisoners in Sri Lanka. More than 50 percent are in the remand and some of them are released in few days. Sexually transmitted diseases are increasing among prisoners through out the world. In Sri Lanka, it is low due to high educational standards, good health facilities and the high culture at standards, the minister said.

Prisons Commissioner General Major General V R Silva, National STD and AIDS Control Programme Director Dr Nimal Edirisinghe and Health Ministry Additional Secretary Dr Palitha Maheepala also participated.