HIV/HEPATITIS C CROSS-INFECTION IN PRISON

Crouching Disaster, Hidden Fear

If HIV is the large pink elephant in the living room that no one wants to
address when it comes to California prison medical care, then hepatitis
C/HIV cross-infection is the rhinoceros in the dining room. That is what a
roomful of about 40 activists, advocates, parolees and ex-prisoners heard
at a meeting sponsored by the HIV/ Hepatitis C in Prison (HIP) Committee of
California Prison Focus at San Francisco's Quaker Meeting house.

According to a parade of former prisoners, parolees and activists who spoke
at the Feb. 20 event, the policies of the California prison system are not
helping the situation much at all. "Harm reduction in prisons?" asked
Andrew Reynolds of the HIP committee. "There is none! Hand's up anyone who
thinks there is no sex in prison. [No hands went up.] Check out Europe
where they have needle exchange in prison. We can't even get needle
exchange into some of our communities!"

This is the situation in a system where prisoner advocates estimate that a
third of all inmates are infected with hepatitis C. They also say at least
70 percent of the HIV-infected prisoners are also infected with hepatitis
C. Despite that, few prisoners have access to education or treatment for
hepatitis C. "The prison system does not ... even want people to know they
are infected," charged prisoner advocate Judy Greenspan. That would mean
they have to be treated, and that would cost money."

Linda Evans, former political prisoner and lesbian activist released from
prison 13 months ago, said that the situation around hepatitis C in prison
is similar to that of HIV in prison during the early 1980s--a lot of
denial, fear and discrimination. She and other political prisoners were
instrumental in setting up hepatitis C education groups on the East Coast,
programs which she worked to set up here when she was transferred to the
federal prison in Dublin, Calif. Unfortunately, such internal activism is
now banned. Worse yet, prisoners are now being forced to pay for their
medical care. "What is happening in the federal [and state prison] system
is they are making people pay for it out of their wages. Five dollars a
medical visit," said Evan. "I never made more than three dollars a month
and I worked [in prison] full time! I know three people in prison that died
of hepatitis C."

And if the speakers are correct, the situation has not gotten any better.
Evette Arnold was just released from the Central California Women's
Facility and she recounted a tale of medical neglect that resulted in her
weight dropping from 165 pounds to 111 pounds. Arnold wound up being
released from prison in a wheelchair, something that probably would not
have happened had the care been medically sufficient.

Arnold alleged that one nurse even told her that she would not get medical
attention unless her situation was dire. "I want to see blood running down
your leg," the nurse allegedly told her. "All I did was shoplift," said
Arnold. Rhetorically addressing those responsible for her medical care:
"You are getting paid to help us, not hurt us."