Accessibility of anti-Retroviral Therapy to HIV-Infected Inmates in Malawi Prisons; A Cross-Sectional Study of Chichiri Prison in Blantyre, Malawi.

Catherine Mwalwanda, University of Malawi, College of medicine
Dumisile Nkosi, University of Malawi, College of medicine
Tapiwa Ntwere, University of Malawi, College of medicine

HIV/AIDS is an important public health concern globally. With a global scale up of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) coverage little was known if this was the case in prisons. This study aimed at comparing accessibility to ART by HIV-infected inmates with the general population of Malawi in 2015; a cross-sectional study of Chichiri prison in Blantyre Malawi, using qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data collected from 27 participants, comprising HIV-infected inmates and Key Informants, were analysed using thematic content analysis. Secondary quantitative data from the HIV/AIDS Department were analysed using proportions at 95% CI. Chichiri prison had 97% of HIV infected inmates on ART compared to 58% in all prisons and 57% in Malawi. ART services were available but accessibility was mainly affected by lack of privacy from routine and incarceration. This study showed no difference in ART coverage between prisons and the general population; but different factors affecting accessibility.