disingenuous
17 August 2006
The current criticism of governmentâs handling of offender access to
anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs in Durban Westville Correctional Centre is just
disingenuous and seems bent on advancing issues outside of correctional
services jurisdiction and therefore should be rejected.
The Treatment Action Campaignâs (TAC) outburst and protests following the
death of one offender at Durban Westville who was on ARV treatment, is
opportunistic. All offenders used as the basis of the TAC campaign on issues of
ARVs are either on ARV treatment or on an ARV therapy programme which includes
the treatment of opportunistic diseases such as tuberculosis or hepatitis.
The late offender âmen that have sex with menâ (MSM) was on ARV treatment
along with his nine offender colleagues used by TAC to challenge governmentâs
comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme in court. Four other offenders on the list of
the 15 are being treated for opportunistic diseases such as tuberculosis or
hepatitis while one was released in April 2006.
It needs to be clearly understood that the fifteen offenders who are
subjects of the TAC court challenge are only 16 percent (93 in total) of
offenders in Durban Westvilleâs Medium B facility who are attending ARV
programme, 47 of whom are on the actual ARV treatment while others are being
medically prepared for taking ARVs either through counselling or treatment of
opportunistic diseases. Three visiting doctors have been allocated by the
Department of Health to assist Correctional Services in implementing the
comprehensive HIV and AIDS programme in a manner that limits chances of escapes
of dangerous offenders while being transported to ARV accredited healthcare
centres of the Department of Health.
The scenario just painted of the Durban Westville Correctional Centre
provides a clear picture on why the Department challenges the ruling of the
Durban High Court on this matter of ARVs. The Department remains absolutely
committed to its responsibility of sustaining and improving the implementation
of its comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme and allegations of future reversal of
this progress need to be rejected with the contempt they deserve.
It also needs to be brought to the attention of all that the Department of
Correctional Services is doing its best to meet its legal obligations of
providing or facilitating access to medical treatment to offenders that is
commensurate with the treatment they could have accessed, had they been free
men and women. Despite all the challenges of not being an accredited ARV
administering institution, security risks associated with transporting some of
the dangerous offenders to nearby accredited ARV sites of the Department of
Health and apparent non-co-operation of some offenders to efforts aimed
promoting openness about HIV status, Correctional Services is doing quite well.
Allegations that some offenders only got infected in correctional centres have
no basis as none are tested on arrival to assist in determining the prevalence
rate at the admission stage.
In due course the Department will launch a major campaign aimed at assessing
the pre-valence of HIV among offenders and officials in order to assist
strategic planning and resource allocation for the roll out of the Departmentâs
comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme. We will continue to appeal to all officials
and offenders to use this opportunity to assist correctional services in
assisting them to deal effectively and efficiently with the scourge of
HIV/AIDS.
Inquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Tel: (012) 305 8205
Cell: 083 626 0304
Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
17 August 2006
Source: Department of Correctional Services (http://www.dcs.gov.za/)
