South Australian Prisoner Blood Borne Virus Prevention Action Plan 2017 - 2020

Blood borne viruses (BBVs) such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are a significant public health issue for all Australians, but particularly for prisoners who experience a greater burden of BBV infections than the general population.

The first South Australian Prisoner Blood Borne Virus Prevention Action Plan 2017-2020 (PDF 1.3MB), a joint initiative of the Department for Health and Ageing and the Department for Correctional Services, outlines the State’s collaborative approach to reduce the impact of BBVs in South Australian prisons and within the broader community to which people released from prison return.

Prevention, testing, treatment and management of BBVs amongst South Australian prisoner populations are the shared responsibility of state government agencies, primary health services, public hospitals, Aboriginal health services and non-government organisations. Activities in the Action Plan reflect the integration, teamwork and goodwill required to implement the necessary cross-departmental systems and processes needed to achieve its goals.