Inside the Cebu City Jail: 136 inmates HIV positive

CEBU, Philippines - At least 136 inmates of the Cebu City Jail have been found positive of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Councilor David Tumulak, chairman of the City Council committee on peace and order, said details on the situation is still being collated but the city learned of the numbers from the report of the health status and conditions of inmates at the Male Dormitory who are undergoing treatment as of March 30.

"It sounds alarming gyod nga daghan og inmates mga naay HIV diay; naa poy tuberculosis. It can cause alarm to some other inmates nga wala sila kahibaw nga dunay risk sa medical condition nga natipon nila," Councilor David Tumulak said.

Tumulak said the inmates are not isolated because Republic Act 8504 or the Philippine Aids Prevention and Control Act of 1998 prohibits discrimination, in all its forms and subtleties, against individuals with HIV/AIDS or persons perceived or suspected of having HIV/AIDS.

In the record City Jail Warden Arnel Peralta submitted to the city, 88 out of 136 inmates who are HIV-positive are undergoing medication and 45 are for follow-up assessment.

Three others reportedly refused to undergo medication.

Of 32 inmates who have tuberculosis, 18 have been categorized under pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) 1, five are under PTB 2, eight are under multi-drug resistance, and one is extremely drug resistant.

Peralta said seven inmates died last month because of tuberculosis.

"Ang kaning drug resistant, ato gyod gi-isolate… ang katong PTB, na cure naman," he said.

Sixteen inmates have died inside the jail from January to March from different health conditions. Twenty-four others suffer from psychiatric problems.

Intervention

Tumulak said the city will meet with the Department of Health to address the current concerns.

"Maong atong meeting-an unsay approach nga himoon nga ipa-separate gyod ni sila for the safety sa other inmates. If naay ordinary inmate, risk kaayo ni," he said.

Based on latest records, there are 4,174 inmates in the city jail.

Peralta is asking the city to detail a doctor, as well as an ambulance, at the jail. He also asked that the jail be given more medical supplies.

Peralta said he was informed that the jail officers from Operations Second Chance will be deployed at the city jail.

Meanwhile, over 30 jail officers at the city jail have been relieved to avoid familiarization with inmates to improve facility management.

Tumulak said it is the usual process of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

"They (jail officers) themselves are aware nga mao ni ang proseso kay aron ma-preempt sa familiarization ngadto sa mga guards ug sa mga inmates and mao may reason to improve sa facility pod," he said. (FREEMAN)