In a revealing National HIV Assessment study by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), it has been discovered that the HIV prevalence among individuals in Nigerian prisons is double that of the general population. This significant finding emerged from research aimed at understanding the health landscape within Nigeria’s correctional facilities, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis prevalence.
Led by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and supported by a consortium including the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS), the Federal Ministry of Health, Heartland Alliance International, USAID, and UNAIDS, the study sampled 2,511 incarcerated individuals across 12 prisons in all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The outcome highlighted a startling HIV prevalence rate of 2.8% within these prison populations, as opposed to 1.4% in the broader Nigerian populace.
The study also brought to light the disproportionate impact of HIV on female prisoners, with a prevalence rate of 6.9%, and emphasized the heightened vulnerability of older individuals and those engaging in high-risk behaviors such as consensual sex within the prison and injecting drug use. Notably, the prevalence of injecting drug use among the prison population was found to be up to 25 times higher than in the general population, signaling a critical area for intervention.
Regional disparities were observed, with the North-central region exhibiting the highest HIV prevalence at 7.1%, while the South-south and South-east regions recorded the highest rates of tuberculosis. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted prevention interventions and the enhancement of health services within the prison setting. Despite the importance of such services, less than 66% of respondents reported the availability of HIV testing, hepatitis prevention and treatment, and sexual and reproductive health services, with only 37% expressing satisfaction with the quality of health care received in prison facilities.
Dr. Erasmus Morah highlighted the importance of focusing on vulnerable and marginalized communities, including prisoners, as critical to Nigeria’s efforts to combat the HIV epidemic and achieve the 2030 goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat. The UNODC’s role as a co-sponsor of UNAIDS and its global HIV program is pivotal in supporting countries to provide comprehensive HIV services for people who use drugs and for individuals in prisons, guided by evidence-informed, human rights-based interventions.
The findings of this study not only shed light on the stark realities faced by incarcerated individuals in Nigeria but also call for a reevaluation of health care standards within prisons to align with those available in the community, as mandated by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (The Nelson Mandela Rules). As Nigeria and the global community move towards the Sustainable Development Goals, including the target to end AIDS by 2030, addressing the health needs of key populations such as prisoners becomes ever more critical.
Source: This Day Live
