Police feels HIV+ inmates safer in jail

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Police feels HIV+ inmates safer in jail

Hyderabad, Oct. 14: Though the State government is amending the law to

facilitate early release of HIV affected prisoners from jails, police and

district authorities are not happy about it. In many instances, superintendents

of police and district authorities have

suggested that it would be better to keep such inmates within the

walls of the prison.

The State government had decided to amend the AP Prison Rules 1979

(remission system) to add AIDS victims and kidney patients to the

list of inmates who could be granted premature release. This was done on the

basis of a High Court directive. It is also concerned at the rapid increase in

treatment expenses of prisoners in various jails in the State. Increase in the

number of HIV-affected prisoners as well as those suffering from other serious

ailments are said to be the reasons for treatment expenses shooting up.

For instance, the AP Prisons Department spent a record Rs 7.46 lakhs

for dialysis and other treatment for Kishanlal Saini, 25, who was

suffering from kidney failure. He had been imprisoned for dacoity and murder and

was released recently. In 2004-05, the department spent Rs 54.35 lakh for

treating prisoners and in 2005-06 Rs 42.2 lakh. For the current fiscal year, Rs

63 lakh was allotted.

Number of deaths from aliments has also been on the rise in jails. In all, 128

prisoners died in the jails of the State in 2005 as against 118 in 2004. Though

the government order to amend the concerned law is being readied, police and

district authorities still feel that HIV affected inmates would be more

" dangerous " outside.

In June 2005, jail authorities had written to Nalgonda superintendent of police

and the district collector to recommend the release of three HIV patients. Jail

authorities were afraid that they might spread the infection among other

inmates. However, the district collector directed the petition to a medical

expert of Osmania General Hospital, who stated that HIV was not an infectious

disease.

The SP also did not favour their release.

Prison rules say that those inmates who are not in a condition to

commit or organise a crime could be released on the recommendation of the

medical board. Tuberculosis, incurable blood diseases, congestiveheart failure

and other ailments are already in the list. Now HIV and renal failure would be

added to it.

Additional IG (Prisons) Dr M.R. Ahmed said that a medical screening

was conducted when a prisoner comes into the jail, but no compulsory

tests were held. " So we have no statistics on how many HIV affected

inmates are there, " he said. Sick inmates are treated in jails or

shifted to prison wards in government hospitals. In most jails, there is not

enough medical staff.

" We have no budgetary constraints on medical expenses, " said Mr

Ahmed. " In fact, poor prisoners may not get enough medical attention

if they are outside the jail. " Human rights activist N. Srinivas

said that the wishes of the HIV affected inmates should be taken into account

before deciding whether to release them or not. " They should not be disowned,

whether they are in or out, " he said.

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