Pinky Akter: More than 100 HIV infected patients have been identified in the prisons of the country. Many of them have been released, and some have gone to jail. But while the prison authorities are not available on this number of AIDS patients, the National AIDS/STD Control Program of the Department of Health has spoken about the issue.

Even though the risk of AIDS is increasing day by day in Bangladesh, there is no action plan and research on the part of the government. Health officials are concerned about this.

According to the sources of the National AIDS/STD Control Program of the Department of Health, the non-governmental organization Care Bangladesh has conducted a study in this regard in some prisons of the country. The study, conducted in collaboration with the National AIDS/STD Control Programme, found that in 2020, there were 1,110 people who received drugs through intravenous syringes in several large prisons, including Dhaka. 150 of them were infected with HIV/AIDS. They were even deprived of necessary medical care due to being in prison. According to analysts, this number has increased several times in the last few years.

An 11-member delegation went to Malaysia last year to attend a workshop on the care of incarcerated AIDS (HIV positive) patients. But there is no doctor, nurse or pharmacist in the delegation. All those who are going are prison officials who have nothing to do with patients and their treatment. The doctors working in the prison have expressed disappointment over the matter.

According to the National AIDS/STD Control Program, the service will be provided to inmates in eight major prisons. HIV testing facilities for inmates, ARV treatment for patients diagnosed after testing, continuation of treatment for those who have already received ARV services, continuation of OST services for IV drug users previously receiving methadone treatment. Early detection and referral of TB, conducting awareness sessions on STDs, HIV, Hepatitis, TB for inmates. Although 8 types of services are mentioned including psycho-social counseling for the vulnerable among the prisoners, the picture is different in reality. According to various sources, the prisoners are not getting the mentioned services. However, there is a budget allocated in this regard, but it is not properly used.

Analysts say , But those who are supposed to spend it are not actually doing it and that is why the benefits are not available.

In 2023, 1 thousand 250 new HIV/AIDS cases were reported in the country. Which is more than previous years. 266 people died of this disease. It is the highest number of infected patients and deaths in a year. As such, more than three people are affected by this deadly disease every day in the country.

According to the information of the Department of Health, 10,984 people have been affected by AIDS in the country from 1989 to 2023. 2 thousand 86 people died among them. The second highest number of cases and deaths occurred in 2022, with 947 cases and 232 deaths. Earlier, in 2021, 729 people were diagnosed with AIDS in the country, among them 205 people died.

Director General of the Department of Health Professor Dr. ABM Khurshid Alam said, bringing AIDS sufferers under diagnosis and treatment is a big challenge. The government has provided free medicines and treatment. Even after that, this disease is still not under control. He said, “Difficult equipments are repeatedly used during surgery in different hospitals of the country, this disease is also spreading, and there is no accurate information about the AIDS patients from prisons who have been released from prison. This is also responsible for the spread of this disease.”

Aids program officials said, they are trying to find patients. Prominent virologist and member secretary of the country’s first national AIDS committee. Nazrul Islam said, “Increasing the rate of detection by HIV testing of the at-risk population and ensuring that those who are detected, are covered by treatment.”

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Health Care Department Additional Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman said, there is no more publicity about AIDS, this is our big deficiency. There is no AIDS treatment in all the hospitals of the country, there is no specialized hospital either.

Additional Director General of the Department of Health Professor Dr. Ahmedul Kabir said, we will be successful if the AIDS detection rate is 95 percent. Our detection rate is now 75 percent, which is unacceptable. The remaining 25 percent carry and spread the disease.

According to the data of the department, the number of newly diagnosed patients is higher among ordinary people. In second place are male sex workers (homosexuals) and people of the third gender. Populations at risk for HIV are intravenous drug users, female and male sex workers, and transgender people. HIV was once prevalent in this population. Currently, infections among them are decreasing, increasing at an alarming rate among homosexuals.

About 7 people from 9 prisons have been diagnosed with HIV. Most of them are prisoners of drug cases.

Recently in Sirajganj district HIV infection is found abnormally. 144 HIV patients have been detected in this district from August 2022 to October 2023. 98 percent of them take drugs through syringes.

The writer is a freelance journalist