by Simon Davis

Over the past days the pleas for help for patients in the infamous ‘Agios Pavlos’ hospital of Korydallos prison have grown ever more dramatic. According to the Vice-President of the Confederation of Correctional Workers, Antonis Aravantinos, it is a space designed for 60 patients under normal conditions but today holds 226 patients.

There is no permanent medical staff and conditions are so dismal that on the 16 of February inmates being treated at what passes for a medical facility began to refuse treatment while this week they announced that they are commencing a hunger strike in protest. Their list of demands has so far been signed by 179  (according to the latest copy of their petition that we have seen) of the patients with many of the rest either too ill or being kept in solitary confinement.

We contacted one of the prisoners who is HIV positive. Below are excerpts from our conversation.

Mr Aravantinos maintained that of the 226, 136 have ‘AIDS’. I assume that he meant those who are HIV positive and those who have AIDS combined, correct?

Yes, HIV is right. He made a mistake. 3 people have AIDS.

Are you among those refusing treatment?

We all are. Aside from a few patients who are particularly seriously ill. Mainly elderly cancer patients.

And with regards to the need for HIV positive patients from the remainder of the inmates who are ill?

HIV positive patients should not be kept together with patients with other infectious diseases.

What about how the state should handle HIV positive inmates?

The majority of patients and particularly those with short life expectancies could be moved to the nearest infectious diseases treatment unit and begin retroviral therapy immediately following examination by a doctor.

Out of the 136 do you believe the majority belong to this category?

Yes, the majority. The rest could be kept in the prison proper in a special wing and be kept under medical observation.

Which group do you think holds greater prejudices against HIV positive patients? The other prisoners or the staff?

None of them. The only thing the oversight prosecutor who visited didn’t do was oversee. Prison staff are unable to do anything more for the simple reason that their pleas to the ministry fall on deaf ears.

This interview was first published in Greek on SimonKnowz.com

The video posted by the inmates to Youtube: