Integrated medical testing for prisoners in Uttar Pradesh jails begins

The drive to test prisoners for HIV, TB, hepatitis and syphilis started from jails in Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Ayodhya, Badaun, Bulandshahr, Farrukhabad and Ghazipur and would continue in other jails in a phased manner

gaurav.saigal@htlive.com

Integrated medical testing for prisoners in Uttar Pradesh jails begins (Pic for representation)

Uttar Pradesh on Sunday began its first integrated testing drive in jails across the state to know the status of prison inmates for HIV, TB, hepatitis and syphilis.

The testing is being done UP State Aids Control Society (UPSACS) in coordination with the prison department. On the first day, the drive started at jails in Agra, Ayodhya, Badaun, Bulandshahr, Farrukhabad, Gazipur, Kanpur, Lucknow.

“This is for the first time that integrated testing is being done in U.P. jails. The name of the test is Integrated STI, HIV, TB and Hepatitis (ISHTH) screening,” said Ramesh Srivastava, joint director Uttar Pradesh State Aids control society, (incharge IEC).

The drive would be carried out in all the jails in a phased manner.

“It will be done as per coordination at local level with health department,’ said Srivastava. He added that need was felt as sporadic cases of HIV positive prisoners were reported.

The drive includes screening of prison inmates’ health, testing them for these illnesses. If found suffering from any of the disease they would be put on medication through health centres, said Srivastava.

“The effort will reveal the status of these diseases among prison inmates, which will help in the formation of future policies that will include prison inmates just as other institutions are included in campaign for HIV/AIDS awareness and screening,” he said.

“Since jails are a closed environment, inmates do not have access like other people to health facilities. Secondly, when a person is infected, chances are high that it might spread among other inmates,” he added.

Uttar Pradesh at present has 1,12,204 PLHIV (people living with HIV/AIDS) on Antiretroviral therapy (ART) while the estimated number of people living with HIV is 1.94 lakh. This year since April, 5873 male, 3142 female, 47 transgender, 264 male children and 187 female children have been registered for HIV care.