In Rajahmundry jail, 27 are HIV infected

Rajahmundry: Authorities of Rajahmundry Central Prison have admitted that there are 27 inmates living with HIV. The admission comes after the AP high court directed the jail authorities to submit a report.

Prison authorities clarified that 19 inmates were carrying the virus even before they were lodged in the jail.

Eight other prisoners tested positive later during the routine blood tests conducted for other diseases. However, they made it clear that there is no chance of HIV spreading from one prisoner to another.

On Wednesday the AP high court directed the Rajahmundry central prison to confirm whether 27 inmates are HIV positive. The court’s direction came after an HIV positive inmate requested it to grant parole for treatment at home.

Rajahmundry central prison in-charge superintendent Raja Rao told TOI that 27 HIV positive inmates are presently lodged. He said prisoners from other areas in the state are also referred to Rajahmundry prison as it has facilities to treat HIV positive cases.

“There is no scope of HIV spreading from one person to another. Also, there is no homosexual activity in the prison. All the inmates are under CCTV surveillance round the clock. HIV positive inmates are provided with 250 ml of milk, eggs, and protein every day along with 100 grams mutton every week. They are also put on anti-retroviral therapy,” he said.

He said 41 prisoners died due to various diseases in the last five years as most of them suffer from psychological problems, TB and diabetes. Rajahmundry prison is overcrowded with 1,430 inmates as against its actual capacity of 1,200.

Earlier, acting chief justice Ch Praveen Kumar and Justice Mallavolu Satyanarayana Murthy hearing a bail petition filed by an HIV positive prisoner from Guntur district sought a report from the jail officials. The court directed the government to look into the issue seriously and take necessary action.

The court said that it will take stringent action on the superintendent of the jail if any one of the patients got affected with HIV after they entered the prison.

Rao said the prison authorities will file their affidavit on Friday when the matter will come up for hearing.