In continuing its outreach efforts to address two major health concerns among inmates in the Kilombero Valley—TB and HIV—the Ifakara Health Institute and its partners recently conducted the second engagement event at Kiberege Agricultural Prison from September 20 to 22, 2024. This follows a similar outreach event held at Idete Agricultural Prison last month.

The ongoing series of events is conducted in collaboration with St. Francis Referral Hospital (SFRRH) and is supported by the USAID Afya Yangu program. The initiative provided screening for all consenting inmates and staff at Kiberege Prison, with a focus on early detection and treatment.

The outreach team included staff from the Chronic Disease Clinic in Ifakara (CDCI), which operates as part of SFRH. The team was led by Program Coordinator Dr. Ezekiel Luoga and Clinician Edgar Enzigard, along with 12 other professionals, including skilled clinicians, nurses, a sonographer, and counselors from CDCI.

Hundreds of inmates screened for HIV, TB
Key outcomes of the program included 140 HIV screenings, which identified both new diagnoses and known cases. For TB, 31 individuals were suspected of infection, with confirmed cases promptly treated using anti-TB medication. 
Additionally, the CDCI team provided treatments and referrals, addressing 30 cases of bacterial pneumonia. They also enrolled newly diagnosed HIV patients in care and facilitated their transfer to Kiberege Health Center for follow-up.

Capacity building and training
Along with providing health education on TB and HIV prevention, the team conducted capacity-building sessions for healthcare staff at the Kiberege Magereza Dispensary. The training focused on managing TB and HIV cases within the prison setting.

Highlighting the importance of regular screening
Following the success of this event, the CDCI team emphasized the importance of establishing regular TB screening programs across all prisons in the Kilombero Valley to maintain low prevalence rates. They also highlighted the need to enhance the capacity of healthcare staff in closed communities for effective screening. 

Additionally, the team recommended implementing TB awareness campaigns tailored to the prison environment and integrating TB screening with other health services, such as HIV testing, to improve overall health outcomes.

“The outreach program at Kiberege Prison offered a valuable opportunity to reduce TB prevalence in this high-risk setting. By meeting both the healthcare and educational needs of the inmates and staff, this initiative could serve as a blueprint for similar programs in other prisons and confined communities,” they remarked.