At least 16 prisoners diagnosed with HIV in Peshawar Central Jail

As many as sixteen inmates in the Central Jail of Peshawar tested positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), according to authorities.

Waseem Khan, a superintendent of the central prison, said that the jail authority had tested 549 out of a total of 3,400 prisoners with modern equipment, of which 16 were diagnosed with HIV.

He added that the affected prisoners were drug addicts, and they were isolated after the confirmation of the virus to prevent the spread of diseases among others.

Moreover, the jail administration has been providing medical treatment and counselling to affected prisoners.

It seems that Pakistan's jails are overcrowded that leading to the spread of disease. 

In 2022, the Human Rights Commission (HRC) reported that the renowned Adiala Jail had at least 180% more prisoners than the space.

The report stated that the jail could host 2,174 prisoners while currently, it is being hosted over 6,000 prisoners, and it has only one male doctor to treat over 1,500 prisoners.