News / National
HIV wreaks havoc in Zimbabwean prisons
12 May 2013 at 08:08hrs | Views
THE HIV prevalence rate in Zimbabwe prisons stands at 27%, a figure almost double the national prevalence rate, a health official revealed.
Aids and TB Unit director in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Owen Mugurungi, said women prisoners were the worst affected by HIV at around 39%, the Standard reported.
The Zimbabwe Prisons Services is on record saying that they would not allow HIV and Aids preventative measures such as condoms, claiming this was tantamount to legalising illicit behaviour. This is despite the known existence of homosexuality in jails.
Mugurungi said the ministry of health was cooperating with prison officials to come up with strategies to strengthen both prevention and treatment of HIV patients.
Mugurungi also said that the ministry together with prison authorities, trained staff to work within prisons, so that they could start providing anti-retroviral therapy within the correctional facilities.
According to the 2010-11 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS), the HIV prevalence rate in the country is now 15%, down from 18% in 2006.
HIV prevalence continues to be higher among women than men; 18% of women are HIV-positive compared to 12% of men.
Aids and TB Unit director in the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, Owen Mugurungi, said women prisoners were the worst affected by HIV at around 39%, the Standard reported.
The Zimbabwe Prisons Services is on record saying that they would not allow HIV and Aids preventative measures such as condoms, claiming this was tantamount to legalising illicit behaviour. This is despite the known existence of homosexuality in jails.
Mugurungi said the ministry of health was cooperating with prison officials to come up with strategies to strengthen both prevention and treatment of HIV patients.
Mugurungi also said that the ministry together with prison authorities, trained staff to work within prisons, so that they could start providing anti-retroviral therapy within the correctional facilities.
According to the 2010-11 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS), the HIV prevalence rate in the country is now 15%, down from 18% in 2006.
HIV prevalence continues to be higher among women than men; 18% of women are HIV-positive compared to 12% of men.
Source - thestandard
