Main Medical Department, Ministry of Justice, Baku,
44th World Conference on Lung Health of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
Abstract Book 2013
Background and challenges: Prisoners constitutes most vulnerable MARP in general population for TB. As part of TB control project the Main Medical Department (MMD) of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) makes efforts to yield disease awareness among detainees and prison personnel in two principal directions: regular Health Education (HE) and personnel capacity building.
Intervention or response: Awareness rise activities have been implementing by MMD since 1995, supporting by Governmental and International Partners, such as GFATM, ICRC, WHO, GLC, etc. Cumulatively designed HE skills and materials on TB and TB-HIV co-infection (posters, flyers, booklets, calendars, etc.) are persistently distributed among detainees in correctional facilities (CF) and prison staff. They are adjusted for two ways of communications building up a trust to the treatment and prison personnel served in penitentiary system (PS). A range of educational movies on TB topic were filmed and are shown in penitentiaries. Copies are available from www.prisonhealth.az. MMD works on peer-to-peer education among prisoners and this activity brings good results already. As part of MMD MoJ communication strategy, HE and counseling sessions aimed to ensure adherence to TB treatment is implemented by NGO 'Support to Health' after release. Working closely with PS Medics the NGO keeps up communication among ex-prisoners and former caregivers.
One of the MMD MoJ TB Training Centre (TC) in prisons work directions is to train non-medical PS staff on health in prisons, including TB, HIV and infection control measures.
Results: MMD MoJ developed one of the best practices of communications used in PS. Being user-friendly, the video HE materials reached a wide response among prisoners and prison staff. Implementation of comprehensive HE policy contributed largely to TB treatment defaulters' number (from 27% to 2% in 5 years) reduction and consequently, increased treatment success rate, ensured good understanding of TB issues among prison staff and detainees, decreased stigma and had significant impact on overall health in prison. Within the last year around 745 sessions were conducted by 'Support to Health' covering about 1300 patients. Already almost 30 participants from high and middle prison administration have participated to trainings, conducted in TC throughout 2012.
Conclusions: Uninterrupted implementation of efficient HE policy in prisons should be permanently updated and followed.