Vic: Needle exchange call to curb spread of Hep C in prisons

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2005
Vic: Needle exchange call to curb spread of Hep C in prisons

MELBOURNE, Aug 30 AAP - Needle exchange programs must be introduced to Victoria's prisons
to halt the rapid spread of blood-borne virus Hepatitis C, a lobby group says.

The Hepatitis C Council of Victoria today called for pilot programs to help build a
model for providing clean needles and syringes in the state's prisons.

Executive officer Helen McNeill said the virus was spread as inmates shared drug injecting,
tattooing and piercing equipment - practises which continued despite bans by authorities.

She also points to a study by Victoria's justice department showing almost 60 per cent
of the state's prisoners already have the virus, while its spread in the broader community
is less than one per cent.

"As a nation we have an excellent reputation in addressing blood-borne virus transmission
in the general community," Ms McNeill said today.

"It's time that we took that extra step and utilised the same harm reduction measures
in prisons."

Ms McNeill said there were prisons overseas that had exchange programs in place - with
special measures to prevent the needles being used as weapons by inmates.

She said tackling Hepatitis C in jails was also a vital step in curbing its spread
in the community.

"(The) people in our prisons will eventually return to living in the community," Ms McNeill said.

AAP dr/it/sd

KEYWORD: NEEDLE

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