A project set up in 2005 in Malawi is reaching out to educate prisoners about HIV/AIDS and treat those with sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The project is being implemented in 21 prisons across the country and has so far targeted over 5,000 prisoners. Apart from disseminating information and education materials on the prevention of HIV/AIDS, the programme provides free treatment for STIs, malaria and scabies.

But Banja la Mtsogolo, the NGO responsible for the project, has been advocating condom distribution in prisons to no avail. In a country where homosexuality is illegal, prison authorities "refuse to accept" that unsafe sexual activities occur.

"In our experience, there is so much high-risk behaviour taking place. We get a lot of cases of genital ulcers and other STIs that indicate this," he noted.

At the end of 2001, UNAIDS estimated that Malawi's adult HIV prevalence rate was 15%. The rate of HIV/AIDS infection in prisons, however, was still unclear. Poor living conditions - including inadequate sanitation and overcrowding - are also a problem. "You get places where in one cell which is designed for 100 people, there are about 300 or 400 people," he added.