Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 11 August 2023
In a significant move towards ensuring the health and well-being of inmates, the Integrated STI, HIV, TB, and Hepatitis (ISHTH) Campaign was inaugurated at the District Jail Prothrapur in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on August 9, 2023. The launch event witnessed the presence of esteemed guests, including Mr. Vikram Singh, DANICS, Superintendent of District Jail Prothrapur, and Mr. Rizwanullah, Deputy Secretary of District Jail. Notable figures from ANACS (Andaman and Nicobar AIDS Control Society), the Department of Health Services, and the prison administration also marked their attendance.
The campaign, spearheaded by medical experts and authorities, seeks to raise awareness and provide comprehensive health services to inmates, focusing on the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and Hepatitis. Dr. Priyanka Yadav, the Medical Officer in charge of FI-ART at GB Pant Hospital, took the stage to shed light on the critical issues of HIV, STIs, TB, and Hepatitis. The campaign’s central objective is to ensure widespread coverage of inmates with essential medical services, coupled with prompt initiation of treatments. This ambitious national initiative, the ISHTH Campaign, is set to encompass all prisons and closed settings, both governmental and private, across India.
Dr. Subrata Saha, the Project Director of A&N AIDS Control Society (ANACS), extended a warm welcome to the assembled audience.
The event reached its conclusion with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Rekha Verma, Chief Medical Officer of District Jail Prothrapur.