68 Per Cent Rise in Aids Deaths Among Prisoners

The Namibian (Windhoek)

March 13, 2003
Posted to the web March 13, 2003

Max Hamata

THE number of HIV-infected prisoners in Namibia rose by 68 per cent from 2000 to 2001, a report released this week said.

The number of HIV-positive inmates increased by 212 (from 311 to 523) from 2000 to 2001, the Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services says in its annual report.

Deaths caused by AIDS complications rose from 17 to 41, while six people were released on the recommendation of medical officers because they were seriously ill as a result of AIDS.

Forty prisoners died outside hospital and only one died in a prison hospital.

Prisons authorities have introduced a special medical diet for AIDS and TB patients.

In 2001, 378 prisoners were recommended to receive special diets.

According to the report, 3 396 inmates were involved in the Ministry's HIV-AIDS programme.

"This is a combined programme, which consists of counselling of positive-tested HIV-AIDS inmates and information awareness programmes," the report says.

HIV has also been taking the lives of prison officials.

The death rate went up from 13 in 2000 to 16 during the year 2001.