Today, the MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, is launching the HIV counselling and testing campaign and reaffirming a partnership between the two departments in delivering healthcare to the 8 000 Correctional Services staff and almost 30 000 offenders.
The event is held at the Pietermaritzburg New Prison where staff representing the seven areas in the region of KwaZulu-Natal has converged to take forward the president' call for South Africans to know their HIV status.
"We are responding to a call made by the president in December last year when he announced the HIV counselling and testing campaign. As officials and offenders we want to participate in this worthy call.
"Our target is to counsel and test at least 50 percent of our staff compliment and also counsel and test at least 21 000 of the offenders in our care.
"It is therefore our belief that not only are we launching the HIV counselling and testing campaign but we are also cementing our partnership as government department and ensure that we adequately respond to the president's call," the regional Commissioner, Mr Mnikelwa
Nxele, said during his address.
The Correctional Services has six accredited antiretroviral sites spread throughout the province. These are the new Qalakabusha, Westville, Ngcome, Pietermaritzburg and two in Kokstad correctional centres.
In the correctional centres, the prevalence rate is estimated to be the same as that of the general population. The Department of Health has been working together with the correctional centres in the provision of healthcare services, HIV care, treatment and support services.
The HIV counselling and testing programme, according to the regional commissioner, needs to include the provision of wellness services to both staff and offenders. These wellness centres will have the services of chaplains, psychologists and nurses and will be available on a daily basis to all.
Speaking at the launch the MEC said: "I must commend you for this bold step given that no other province has done what you are doing today. I want to challenge you on your targets and say you can still double these figures if you encourage your 8 000 staff members to take their partners along when they go to test.
"In 1993 the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued guidelines on HIV infection and AIDS in prisons. They include the following paragraph: 'All inmates have the right to receive healthcare, including preventive measures, equivalent to that available in the community without discrimination, in particular with respect to their legal status'.
"As I suggested, this is a call that we must hold in high esteem and with pride, like 'waving a flag'. It aims to rally all of us behind one goal, to eliminate HIV and build an HIV free generation.
"The vast majority of people committed to prison eventually return to the wider society. Therefore any diseases contracted in prison, or any medical conditions made worse by conditions of confinement, become issues of public health for the wider community when people are released.
This relationship between prison health and overall public health is fundamental. Reducing the transmission of HIV in prisons is an important element in reducing the spread of infection in the broader society, and should not be left to prison authorities alone to address".
The MEC also thanked the offer of a "hand of partnership" and said the department will be available to offer any assistance that may be required anywhere in the province.
He said the provincial target of HIV counselling and testing is to reach at least three million people by June 2011. To reach this target, the MEC said, requires that the department, as a lead department of government for this campaign, reaches to every person wherever they are, including prisons.
He said access can no longer be an excuse for people to continue with their lives without knowing their HIV status.
"Staff education and support is essential to create optimal conditions to ensure a safe and healthy environment for inmates, staff and visitors and to enable to provision of HIV and AIDS related interventions in a comprehensive manner.
The provision of prevention, care, treatment and support programmes for prison staff should be at least as comprehensive as those for inmates, as staff is more likely to support HIV and AIDS related interventions for inmates if they also have access to a comparable package of services.
Therefore it is essential that all prison staff receive regular training, education, and support on HIV and AIDS and related issues," the
MEC added.
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