customers waiting

Although in this case it may only be one customer the prison service
Prisoners need syringe programs: experts
AAP October 3, 2009,

Australian prisoners are in desperate need of needle syringe programs to avoid the risk of disease, drug experts say.

Delegates at a national drug conference in Melbourne voted on Friday to support safe injecting equipment, access to drug and mental health treatment programs and referral to integrated community welfare programs inside jails.

John Ryan, chief executive of Anex, an organisation that promotes drug harm reduction, said there were reports of the same unsterilised needle being used by as many as 100 prisoners.

"We also know that prisoners are up to forty times more likely to have hepatitis C than someone in the general community," Mr Ryan said.

"We need a commitment from governments to have transparency about the serious problems in our prisons and the current dangers to prisoners, guards and our community."

Mr Ryan told AAP no Australian prison had risen to the challenge of providing sterile injecting equipment.

"The fact is that people are injecting in prisons in very unsafe conditions," he said.

Australia has more than 3,000 needle syringe programs operating in the community, which have saved taxpayers an estimated $7.7 billion in healthcare costs, Anex says.

Anex will present a message to government health and corrections agencies on the need for such programs in jails on behalf of the 350 conference delegates.