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63 prisoners found infected with HIV in Lucknow District Jail
Jail authorities shared that majority of the infected prisoners have a history of drug addiction.
At least 63 prisoners at the Lucknow District Jail have been found to be HIV positive during health tests conducted by the jail administration, reported news agency PTI.
Jail authorities shared that majority of the infected prisoners have a history of drug addiction. They claimed that the prisoners were exposed to the virus through their use of contaminated syringes outside the prison premises. The authorities claimed that no prisoner contracted the virus during their stay inside the jail. Authorities claimed that no fatality of any infected prisoner has taken place in last five years.
S N Sabat, director general of prisons (DG-Prisons) told PTI, "No prisoner has died due to HIV infection in the District Jail Lucknow in the last five years."
"We check HIV infected people from time to time in all the jails of Uttar Pradesh. Not a single person has become HIV infected after being admitted in the Lucknow jail. They were already infected. Most of the affected prisoners were infected due to drug abuse," Sabat said.
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In the wake of the matter, all HIV-positive prisoners are being treated at King George Medical University and ARP Centre. Hrithik Priyadarshi, Jailor of Lucknow District Jail, shared that the infected inmates are being given regular counselling. Apart from this, nutritious food is also given to them.
What is HIV and how does it spread ?
Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) affects an infected person's immune system and cripples it. If the patient is not treated, the virus can cause the serious disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome., also called AIDS.
AIDS is the most severe stage of HIV infection.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), HIV is spread from the body fluids of an infected person, including blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal fluids. It is not spread by kisses, hugs or sharing food. It can also spread from a mother to her baby.
