Prisoners implored to religiously adhere to HIV treatment

Zambia Prisons Service Commissioner Percy Chato has called on his Officers-In-Charge of prisons to ensure inmates who were transferred from one prison to the other carry with them their medical records to avoid disrupting treatment.

Mr. Chato noted with concern that some prisoners, especially those on antiretroviral treatment (ART), usually ended up developing health complications when they are transferred.

He said this was in many cases as a result of the inmates becoming drug resistant because of the disruption of treatment.

He was speaking in Kabwe today when he officially opened a workplace HIV/AIDS leadership workshop.

Mr. Chato called on officers to encourage inmates that were on ART to always adhere to drugs.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chato appealed to officers to uphold the principal of confidentiality and discourage stigma and discrimination in workplaces and prisons.

He said the rights of prisoners still needed to be upheld despite them being in incarceration.

Speaking at the same occasion, SHAReII Senior Manager Simon Mutonyi advised officers in charge to address HIV/AIDS related issues in prisons and their homes.

Mr. Mutonyi however noted that the lessons learnt on HIV/AIDS related issues were cardinal to the work environment.