Some CPDRC inmates positive with HIV too

CEBU, Philippines - The case of inmates having human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is not a monopoly of the Cebu City Jail.

This, after the Cebu Provincial Health Office also confirmed the presence of HIV-infected inmates inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC).

Doctor Rene Catan, Chief of the Cebu Provincial Health Office, said there are less than five HIV cases inside the capitol-managed jail facility, based on the testing they have conducted inside CPDRC last month.

“Ni-suggest ko nga nganong dili man na nato iapil ang HIV?  Ang problema lang kay they have to sign voluntary, unya out of those nga mi-sign, nakakuha ta og less than five,” Catan said.

Catan said they were not able to identify if the disease was acquired by the inmates before they were detained at CPDRC.

“Wa pa gi-identify kung misulod na sila nga naa na or within sa ilaha nakuha.  I would suspect nga kana sila misulod nga naa na,” Catan added.

HIV is a disease that can be transmitted through sexual intercourse and needle or syringe use.

Catan said the inmates who are identified with HIV are now under medication.

Before, Catan said they don’t have any record of inmates having such disease considering that they don’t get a health profile.

He said one of the innovations they are doing in CPDRC is to profile the inmates based on health and they suggested that newly detained inmates at the provincial jail should have health profile to identify if the detainee has a disease.

“It has to pass through a resolution.  Kinahanglan make it a law para tanang priso nga mosulod nga naay kuan, ila na siya kuhaan og dugo mo-test og particular nga virus, dili lang nga optional.  Mao na akong suggestion,” Catan said.

He clarified that those identified with HIV was not put into an isolation, saying “dili na sila i-isolate kay socially against man sa human rights.”

Department of Health-7 Regional Director Doctor Jaime Bernadas said there’s no need to separate inmates having HIV to those who don’t have the disease since it will not be transmitted through ordinary contact.

“Dili man na angay ibulag gyud kay ang mode of transmission ana dili man na ma-transmit nimo sa ordinary nga storya. You can live with an HIV positive individual without the risk of contacting it.  Dili na siya angay kahadlokan, ma-contact ra na nimo sa modes of transmission – sexual, whether hetero or homosexual contact or blood donation, syringes,” Bernadas said.

He encourages those who have the disease not to hesitate to go to authorities or health personnel and ask for assistance.

“kon duna kay pag duda sa imong kaugalingon, you submit for testing para mahibal-an ug mahatagan ka og tambal, kay libre man ang tambal ana,” Bernadas said. (FREEMAN)