FHI - FHI Builds the Capacity of Indonesia’s National Prison Program

APRIL 2008 — The FHI Aksi Stop AIDS (ASA) Program is helping to build the technical capacity of staff in Indonesia's Department of Corrections and has selected 50 prisons for special focus and support that are in six of eight priority provinces. Seventeen local NGOs are implementing partners.

As of 31 December 2007, 1,940 national-level staff and three staff from each of the 50 prisons have been trained as trainers or facilitators in behavior change communication, harm reduction, and clinical services. Training of staff from 26 prisons in non-priority provinces has also been undertaken at the request of the National AIDS Commission.
In addition, the 50 priority prisons have developed plans to provide comprehensive prevention, care, treatment, and support services; 35 have established prevention programs; 24 are offered voluntary HIV counseling and testing; and 15 are offering STI management services. These HIV/AIDS-related services are available either onsite or via referral, and 20,434 prison inmates have been reached with one or more of them.

Information, education, and communication (IEC) materials for prison inmates will be printed and distributed this month. In conjunction with the launch of these materials, prison staff will be trained in how to effectively communicate HIV/AIDS-related information.

FHI-ASA also facilitated the development of a monitoring and evaluation system for the current reporting system of the Department of Corrections. Software and operating procedures have been finalized, and on-the-job training—on revised data-collection protocols, software use, and data analysis—is being provided for the department's national and provincial staff.

All these efforts follow the support FHI-ASA provided to the Department of Corrections to develop a national strategy for HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment in Indonesia's prisons and jails.