Separate cells for HIV- cons?

2003-03-09 18:11

Johannesburg - The department of correctional services must urgently become more proactive and vigorous in its response to HIV/Aids, or it will be facing a financial time bomb, the Democratic Alliance spokesperson on correctional services, Mike Ellis, said on Sunday.

These steps may have to include making separate space available for HIV-negative prisoners who agree to take an HIV test.

The Durban High Court ruled last week that prisoners are entitled to proper medical care even when the department does not have the facilities to provide this treatment itself.

Although the judgment did not specifically concern HIV, it would inevitably open up the department to demands for better Aids care, and it was very likely that these demands will include antiretroviral treatment, Ellis said.

This ruling came hot on the heels of an out-of-court settlement with an inmate who became infected with HIV while in prison.

It also follows shortly on the publication of research showing that death in prisons have increased five-fold since 1995, and that about 90% of these deaths are due to Aids.

"It is clear that the department will have to act far more decisively than it is doing now," Ellis said.

"On treatment, it may have to put in place a plan to obtain affordable Aids drugs.

"In the absence of an Aids treatment plan at national level, this task will be far harder than it would otherwise have been."

On the issue of prevention, it would need to actively protect HIV-negative prisoners from infection.

"Given the high incidence of rape and other forms of violence in prisons, this may require a mechanism to allow HIV-negative prisoners to stay clear of HIV-positive inmates."

- SAPA