AIDS COMMITTEE VISITS K'DUA, NSAWAM PRISONS (PAGE 20, FEB 12, 2010)

MEMBERS of the Eastern Regional AIDS Committee last Thursday visited Koforidua and Nsawam Prisons to obtain first-hand information on the conditions of the inmates, especially those living with HIV and AIDS.
The visit, which was to ascertain whether the various HIV and AIDS educational programmes organised in the prisons had been beneficial, was also used to further educate the prisoners on the pandemic, especially counselling and voluntary testing.
Led by the Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Sampson Badu Ofori, the visit was to enable the members of the committee to see how best they could assist the two reformation centres to set up counselling bodies and refurbish their existing clinics.
The visit made it possible for the committee members to interact with the inmates, especially those on antiretroviral treatment.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the visit, Dr Ofori said for many years, education on HIV and AIDS in the country’s prisons had not been given the needed attention, resulting in the worsening conditions of inmates living with the disease.
According to him, the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) with the support of Global Fund had made available some funds and resources for the refurbishment of the clinics of the two prisons and also for the establishment of HIV and AIDS counselling and testing centres.
That, Dr Ofori stated, would make it possible to incorporate effective HIV and AIDS education in their programmes.
“Since we have well-trained nurses at the clinics in the two prisons who provide the inmates with the necessary voluntary counselling and testing and also educate them on the disease, we the members of the committee have resolved to provide the nurses with the needed support to enable them to discharge their duties more efficiently,” he said.
Sharing his observation at the two prisons, Dr Ofori said the care and support given to inmates living with the disease was encouraging, describing it as “one of the best offered to people living with AIDS (PLWA)”.
He was happy about the clean environment of the two prisons, especially the Nsawam Prisons, and commended the prison officers and the inmates in that respect.
In answer to a question on what had been done so far to contain the HIV and AIDS pandemic in the Eastern Region, Dr Ofori said 20 antiretroviral treatment centres had been attached to some of the hospitals in the area.
He mentioned the Regional Hospital in Koforidua, the St Martin’s De Porress Hospital at Agormanya, the Nsawam Government Hospital, the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Akuapem Mampong, the Akuse Government Hospital, the Suhum Government Hospital and the Kyebi Government Hospital as some of the health facilities attached with such centres.
Others, he said, included the Enyiresi, Akyem Oda, Akwatia, Atibie, Begoro, New Abirem, Asesewa Government Hospitals, Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital, Donkokrom Presbyterian Hospital and the VRA Hospital at Akosombo.