Guwahati: Assam reported 226 HIV-positive cases among inmates of 31 jails between April and July 2026 and there’s now a renewed interest in health screening, treatment and drug-use prevention within state prison systems.
The cases were detected through routine HIV screening performed among prisoners under the Prison Intervention Programme for HIV/AIDS.
Health officials have stressed that the detection of HIV-positive inmates inside prisons should not automatically be interpreted as evidence that the virus was transmitted within jail premises.
According to the Assam State AIDS Control Society, “nearly 95% of the 226 cases were linked to injecting drug use.”
They said the infections may have happened before the individuals entered prison and were detected during routine screening when they were taken into judicial custody.
202 inmates receiving ART
Of the 226 inmates who tested positive, 202 are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). In prison, it is difficult to provide regular treatment because taking inmates to outside healthcare facilities requires additional security measures.
To address this, ART teams are visiting prisons and providing medicines and related healthcare services to eligible inmates. This is intended to ensure prisoners do not experience interruptions in essential HIV treatment due to difficulties in accessing external ART centres.
Sribhumi jail raises concern
The issue has received more attention since HIV cases were found at the Sribhumi District Jail. Eleven inmates, including one woman, have tested positive for HIV at the facility.
The jail currently houses 445 prisoners against a sanctioned capacity of 187, and has a population of almost 238%. Eleven of those HIV-positive are convicted prisoners, and ten are undertrials. Most of those who tested positive were registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the police said.
Health teams from Assam State AIDS Control Society regularly visit the jail to monitor affected inmates, provide treatment and offer counselling.
Prison officials have also said that inmates requiring specialised care can be referred to Silchar Medical College and Hospital and other healthcare facilities where necessary.
Guwahati Central Jail also reports cases
Earlier this month, 38 inmates in Guwahati Central Jail reported HIV-positive tests at routine screening. The group included 33 men and five women. Most of those diagnosed had a history of drug addiction, but the cases were not linked to drug use within the prison, officials said.
The findings have thus brought more attention to the connection between HIV prevention, substance-use disorders and prison healthcare. Regular testing can help identify infections early on, and timely ART can help affected inmates stay on treatment.
Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal has previously said that the state has about 33,000 active HIV/AIDS patients, showing that the problem goes beyond the prison system.
And there are the two problems: ensuring that health screenings are done in prisons and that HIV-positive prisoners get treatment. Health experts and officials have also stressed the importance of awareness, counselling and reducing stigma for HIV.
The prison data highlight the need for continued testing and treatment and emphasize that the presence of HIV-positive prisoners in jail does not alone prove that transmission occurred within the prison system.
