Limpho Sello
PHELISANANG Bophelong HIV Network and the Crime Prevention and Reintegration of Ex-offenders Association (CROA) have agreed on a collaborative effort to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic and Tuberculosis (TB) in the country’s prisons.
Phelisanang Bophelong Executive Director Thakane Kotelo said there was a high HIV and AIDS prevalence in the prisons and they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Lesotho Correctional Services (LCS) in February for a project to train peer educators to spread awareness about the risks as well as prevention measures.
The project is funded by the Global Fund though Pact Lesotho where Phelisanang Bophelong HIV Network will be implementers in collaboration with CROA. The project will be implemented in all 10 districts and it will run until June 2017.
Ms Kotelo told the Lesotho Times yesterday, that it was common in prisons for men to engage in sexual activities as well as the exchange of needles and blades that exposed them to the high rates of HIV infections.
She said they had therefore decided to collaborate with CROA to fight the HIV and AIDS Pandemic by training ex-offenders to be peer educators.
“But we for we start we are going to do a situational analysis in prisons just to be familiar with the situation,” Ms Kotelo said, adding the idea of bringing on board ex-offenders was to ensure “prisoners interact with the people they understand”.
“We will emphasise the need to take anti-retroviral drugs (ART) without defaulting because there are consequences when a person defaults on treatment.
“We are prepared to work with prisoners so that we will be in a position to link them with clinics and support groups after their release,” Ms Kotelo said.
For his part, CROA President, Nkalimeng Mothobi said they would work with Phelisanang as well as volunteer ex-offenders who would receive stipend.
He said the project was necessary in the context of the high HIV prevalence in prisons at 31.4 percent.
“With this high prevalence in prisons we have to ensure that the donor funds are used for the right reasons and not diverted elsewhere.”
“The situation is very bad and it needs to be addressed to achieve an HIV free generation,” Mr Mothobi said, adding, “Stakeholders need to be incorporated to ensure that we fight HIV and TB in prisons”.
