Member Services
- Text Decrease
- Text Increase
- Print Page
Condoms welcome but prison needle exchange required
31 August 2011
The Victorian Government must provide prisoners with access to a needle exchange program, AMA Victoria President Dr Harry Hemley said today.
“Victorian prisoners need to be able to access a needle exchange program to reduce the transmission of blood born viruses among prisoners using intravenous drugs,” said Dr Hemley.
“Doctors welcome the Baillieu Government’s move to provide condoms to Victorian prisoners. Access to condoms will help to prevent the spread of sexually transmissible infections in the prison population. The same harm reduction approach should be extended to injecting drug users in prison.”
Dr Hemley’s call comes after Ombudsman George Brouwer yesterday released a report into access to health care by Victorian prisoners which included a number of recommendations to reduce the spread of communicable diseases in Victorian prisons.
“The Ombudsman’s report revealed that rates of hepatitis infection in the prison population are orders of magnitude higher than in the community,” said Dr Hemley.
The report showed that 41 percent of prisoners have Hepatitis C compared with 1 percent of the general population and 20 percent or prisoners have Hepatitis B compared with 1 percent of the general population.
“Needle exchange programs in the wider community have significantly reduced the spread of Hepatitis and other blood borne viruses but prisoners are still being denied access to safe injecting equipment,” said Dr Hemley.
“Prisoners deserve the same access to quality health care as that expected in the wider community, this includes access to a needle exchange program while in detention.
“Illicit intravenous drug use is harmful and risky but unfortunately it is also common in Victorian prisons,” Dr Hemley said. “What we need to focus on, from a health perspective, is reducing the risks to prisoners, prison staff and the public by reducing the spread of blood borne viruses through sharing contaminated injecting equipment.
“Most prisoners will join the wider community on release, so reducing the spread of blood borne viruses in prisons will also reduce potential transmission in the wider population.”
Earlier this year the ACT Government commissioned a report from the Public Health Association into the best models for prison needle exchange programs. The ACT Government is currently considering that report’s recommendations.
Dr Hemley said prisoners should also be supported to manage substance abuse problems. “The Ombudsman highlighted the lack of ready access to Opioid Substitution Therapy in prison. The Baillieu Government must improve access to these treatments so that prisoners can end their drug habits. A well-supported needle exchange program should be just one part of a range of harm-minimisation techniques and substance abuse treatment programs in Victorian prisons.”
AMA Victoria also supports the Ombudsman’s recommendations for improved access by prisoners to psychiatric services, primary care and health complaint procedures.
Victorian Medical Directory
Quick Reference Links
Networks
Preferred Providers
Next
Prev