Prisoners with HIV/AIDS: a participatory learning and action initiative in Malaysia

Rapid participatory research and project development is possible within a tightly controlled social context such as a prison. Having gained access, based on trust and mutual respect, external agents may then facilitate significant change. Given adequate support, incarcerated people with HIV/AIDS and limited medical access may be able to develop mutual care, social support and income-generating activities. In the Malaysian context, we estimated in 1998 that up to one-quarter of prisoners with HIV had indicators of significant disease. We estimated that significant indicators remained unrevealed among between one-half and two-thirds of these. Given prevailing conditions, these would probably only be amenable to peer-based care.