3 prisoners test HIV+ in Saharanpur Jail

MEERUT: Three inmates at the Saharanpur district jail were found HIV positive during a monthly screening on Wednesday.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Praveen Kumar, conducted the screening camp, where approximately 312 prisoners were examined. “The prisoners might have contracted the infection through various means, such as shared needles or blades, which is uncertain yet. The three-day camp facilitated identification of infected individuals. They are currently undergoing confirmatory tests to establish a definitive diagnosis,” Kumar said.

Chief medical superintendent, Ram Anand, also part of the camp, said, "We are conducting additional examinations on affected prisoners. Their families were tested, and none of them were infected. We are now initiating their treatment."

Jail superintendent Satya Prakash told TOI, "All three accused were incarcerated in the jail a few days before the screening. They likely contracted the infection outside the prison, as they had a history of injecting sedative drugs."