HYDERABAD: After sensitising prisoners of five jails across the State on the prevention of AIDS, the intervention programme will be extended to five more prisons. Telangana State AIDS Control Society (TSACS) officials said that prevalence of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) including AIDS is high among people living in confined spaces such as jails and hostels.
As per TSACS data, 11 of the 1551 prisoners in Cherlapally, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda and Adilabad covered under the programme tested positive for HIV. Apart from unsafe sexual practices, HIV spreads contaminated syringes.
TSACS officials said that ‘Guidelines on HIV and TB interventions in Prisons and other closed settings’ greatly helps check the spread of the killer diseases. According to guidelines, peer-to-peer networking is crucial to prevent spread of HIV to new inmates.