Two inmates of the Mindoro Provincial jail tested positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) during the Department of Health– Mimaropa two-week province-wide screening for inmates in various jails and prisons in Oriental Mindoro and Romblon.
Provincial Warden retired Major Romeo U. Delmo said one of the inmates came from Puerto Galera and the other from Calapan City.
“I am very thankful for DoH-Mimaropa Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo for having done this mass screening because we were able to identify inmates with HIV and TB. Upon acceptance of inmates from authorities, we only rely on their physical examination tests submitted to us. We have no way to identify and assess if they are carriers of diseases or not,” said Delmo.
He promised to recommend to his superiors at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology that strict screening such as these be implemented in all jails and prisons in the province to identify those carriers of HIV and TB, give them proper treatment and management and prevent them from spreading the virus inside the penitentiary.
In the conduct of mass screening, Janairo cited the need to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, especially in confinements where there are communal areas such as mess hall, kitchen, comfort rooms, shower areas and living quarters, such as prison cells.
He noted that people in these facilities are exposed daily to potentially harmful organisms.
“Also, there is the risk of infectious diseases being spread to facilities that are over-crowded and it is important that cells are properly sanitized and regularly cleaned to ensure that viruses and bacteria do not transmit infectious pathogens to people,” Dr. Janairo added.
Among the screening services provided were tuberculosis, HIV and mental health to be able to assess inmates for possible substance abuse disorder.
The mass screening targeted 1,589 inmates and 121 staff of the BJMP and Oriental Mindoro Provincial Jail located in various municipalities of the province. There were 100 inmates targeted for screening tests in Romblon.
Participating facilities includes Oriental Mindoro Provincial Jail, Calapan City Jail, Roxas Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Naujan BJMP, San Teodoro NJMP, Roxas Oriental Mindoro Provincial Jail, Bansud NJMP and Pinamalayan OMPJ in Oriental Mindoro; and the Romblon Provincial Jail and Romblon BJMP in Romblon.
According to Janairo, the mass screening is needed to reach high risk populations and facilitate the immediate and effective treatment of inmates with TB, HIV and mental health disorders to lessen the growing incidence of these health concerns in penitentiaries.
“That is why early identification and successful management of persons with the disease remains the most effective means of preventing transmission,” Janairo.
“Inmates who will be diagnosed as positive with these diseases will immediately be given treatment and preventive management in order not to infect others ”, he added.