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My name is Opio John. I am a
Prisons Officer at Kwania Prison. I was trained as member of a Village Health
Team (VHT) by the African Prisons Project. As a member of the VHT at the prison,
my role includes identification of diseases (by making regular visits to the
inmates and prison community) and referrals for severe cases to bigger health
facilities for better medical attention. I also conduct awareness creation
meetings with the inmates on their rights to health, good living environment
and welfare.
As a member of a VHT, i am proud to mention that my work has caused a
lot of change to the inmates and the prison community at large; this is
particularly for inmates living with HIV/ AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB). I have
been able to encourage most sick inmates to start medication, and also helped
them to access the necessary drugs from the medical centre. Through regular
counselling and sensitization of the inmates on positive living, sanitation and
hygiene issues, the hope of most inmates has been restored and many are now practicing/spearheading
good hygiene and also living positively.
Working with the inmates has been much easier than working with the
community. This is because inmates are already an organized/mobilized community
which is always willing to listen and receive programmes that are aimed at
improving their welfare.
I am grateful to IDF for partnering with
APP and to APP for choosing Kwania prison among others as a beneficiary in
their project “Promotion
of the rights of access to justice and healthcare of prisoners in Oyam and Apac
districts”. Apart from empowering me as a VHT and human rights advocate, the
project has helped in transforming the lives of and restoring hope to inmates.
If such initiatives are sustained and rolled out i am certain the living
conditions and welfare of most inmates will be improved leading to promotion
and observance of prisoner rights in Uganda.
