OWERRI – Six inmates of Federal Prisons, Owerri, have reportedly died of the dreaded HIV/AIDS pandemic, while 12 others have been confirmed to be carrying the virus.
The prison’s Nursing Officer, Mr. Mike Anyanwu, a superintendent of prisons, said this when the Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Justice Benjamin Ahanonu Njemanze, carried out a jail delivery session in the establishment.
“We have recorded six deaths arising from HIV/AIDS in Owerri Prisons. Twelve other inmates have been confirmed as carriers of the dreaded virus,” Anyanwu said.
He said more inmates might be infected and pointed out that there was no anti-retroviral drugs for such patients in the prison.
Addressing the court in the case involving Chinaenye Onyeneho, who is suffering from a terminal disease, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Soronnadi Njoku, urged the court to order that the inmate be transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, for treatment.
“If the accused is left in the prison, there is the likelihood that he will infect other inmates. If he is also allowed to go home, his immediate family may not have the financial ability to take adequate care of his medical bills. The balance of justice is that he should be treated by the federal government,” Njoku pleaded.
Culled from : Vanguard
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