NAMIBIA: Prison HIV infection on the rise

Namibia's AIDS Law Unit on Monday said the government's failure to provide condoms within prisons has contributed to the increase in HIV infections.

The Ministry of Prisons and Correctional Services annual report last week said the number of HIV-infected prisoners in Namibia rose by 68 percent from 2000 to 2001

"It is an outrage that even with this knowledge the government is willing to let these people die," AIDS Law Unit lawyer, Delme Cupido, told the UN news service, PlusNews.

Commissioner of prisons, John Nyoka, said condoms were not distributed within the prisons because "it encouraged sodomy and homosexuality".

"The government's homophobic stance is allowing the rapid increase of HIV infection among the country's prisoners," Cupido added.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews, Other,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]