HIV positive prisoners are spreading a scare among other inmates in Mattanchery Sub-jail. Authorities are finding it hard to accommodate them in a separate cell.
Officials complain that the HIV positive prisoners often attack inmates and jailors. The jail, which has a capacity of 35, now lodges 72 prisoners. Incidentally, many of them sharing rooms with the HIV positive prisoners are not aware of the scenario.
“We sent three HIV patients to Viyyur Central Jail last week. There are a few more patients here. It is difficult to control them as they show criminal tendencies,” said a jail official.
Jailers and AIDS Control Society members admit they are helpless in managing these prisoners.
“It is not easy to handle these people, most HIV prisoners come under the category of injection drug users (IDU).
Criminality rate is also high among them and some even claim to take pride in carrying the virus,” said the Kerala State Aids Control Society (KSACS) district project manager, Ms Binu Punnachalil.
It is usually prisoners in remand and serving a term not more than a month who are lodged in the sub-jail. Members of KSACS find it difficult to conduct blood test on every prisoner since they keep coming and going.
KSACS has set up an integrated counseling and testing centre (ICTS) in Ernakulam Sub-jail.
The jail superintendent, Mr Varghese, said, “We sent all HIV virus carriers to Viyyur jail last week. As far as I know, there are no HIV positive prisoners here.”