Aids deaths in prisons at a high

2003-02-18 15:33

Pretoria - The number of natural deaths in South Africa's prisons has increased six-fold since 1995, of which between 90 and 95% are believed to be Aids-related, an Institute for Security Studies research consultant said on Tuesday.

KC Goyer estimated that 41.4% of the prison population was HIV-positive last year.

"The conditions inside prison contribute to the progression of HIV and the onset of Aids and death," she said at an ISS seminar in Pretoria.

According to Goyer, the life expectancy of HIV-positive inmates was half of what it would have been if they were outside prison.

- SAPA