Congestion spreading TB in Malawi prisons

Malawi Prison Services (MPS) has cited congestion as the major contributing factor in the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the country’s prisons.

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MPS spokesperson Chimwemwe Shaba said this during the Media and Faith Based Biannual meeting for National TB and Leprosy Elimination Program (NTLEP) held at Mulunguzi in Zomba.

He said the high population of prisoners coupled with limited ventilation in cells was the cause for the spread of the disease.

“Through various interventions put in place we have managed to reduce the cases in the prisons,” he said.

According to Shaba, TB infection rate in prisons has declined from 5.6 per cent in 2017 to the current 0.5 per cent. 

He said 42 inmates are now on treatment from a daily capacity of 16,000 against the required capacity of 8000.

Shaba however said continued efforts to manage the disease are taken through mass screening twice a year, prisoners are screened during their entry and exit, presumptive cases are asked to provide sputum, Sensitization in prisons on TB and other diseases. 

Those diagnosed positive are immediately put on treatment and isolated, he said.

Malawi has 30 prisons, 14 have clinics within the premises while the rest have improvised rooms to offer health services.