Approximately 41% of the inmates in South Africa's
"overburdened" prison system are HIV-positive, according to a study released
on Tuesday,
Reuters
Health reports. The study, conducted by the nongovernmental
Institute
for Security Studies, showed that since 1995, reported cases of HIV/AIDS
in South African prisons have risen by 750%, and the number of natural
deaths in prison has risen by about 600% over the same period, according
to
Reuters Health (Quinn,
Reuters Health, 2/18). According
to the
South African Press Association, about 90% to 95% of the
natural deaths were believed to have been AIDS-related, K.C. Goyer, an
ISS researcher, said (
South African Press Association, 2/18). Goyer
said that most HIV-positive inmates "come from communities which have limited
access to public health services, and these are the same communities to
which they return" (
Reuters Health, 2/18). Maria Mabena, acting
director of health at the Department of Correctional Services, said that
there were 5,285 HIV cases in the prison system last year, compared with
623 in 1995. Between 1996 and 2000, departmental statistics show that the
system has experienced a 40% increase in the number of HIV/AIDS cases,
Mabena said. According to the study, most prisoners are between 18 and
35 years old, an age group that is most likely to engage in unprotected
sexual intercourse, sex for money or drugs, sexual violence, or drug use
(
South African Press Association, 2/18). Mabena said that the DCS
is realizing the importance of giving prisoners access to condoms, counseling,
HIV testing and treatment. However, the South African government's policy
of "discouraging use of antiretroviral drugs in the public sector" has
not helped the effort to treat the country's large HIV-positive prison
population, Mabena said. Nationwide, approximately five million South Africans
are HIV-positive (
Reuters Health, 2/18).
