SLCS Concludes Two-Day Health Training on HIV, TB, Hepatitis and Human Rights
By: Fatmata Lebbie
The Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS), in collaboration with the National AIDS Secretariat (NAS) and with support from World Vision, has concluded a two-day intensive training workshop on HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis, infection prevention, and human rights for correctional officers across the country.
The training was held on 18 and 19 June 2026 at the SLCS Headquarters at New England Ville, Freetown, which brought together correctional officers, healthcare personnel, drivers, cooks, and other frontline staff working within correctional facilities.
The workshop forms part of ongoing national efforts to strengthen disease prevention, reduce stigma, and improve healthcare awareness within Sierra Leone’s correctional institutions.
Speaking during the closing session, Deputy Director Susan B. Koker of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service described the training as timely and necessary, noting that correctional facilities remain highly vulnerable to the spread of communicable diseases because of overcrowding and the close interaction among inmates, officers, and healthcare workers.
“Correctional officers, inmates, and healthcare personnel interact closely every day, and without proper awareness there is always a risk of disease transmission,” she said. “This training is important because it equips officers with the right knowledge to protect themselves, their colleagues, inmates, and the wider community.”
She stressed that the role of correctional officers extends beyond security and custody, emphasizing the importance of humane treatment and the protection of inmates’ rights.
“Our responsibility goes beyond custody and security,” Koker stated. “We must ensure humane treatment and uphold the rights of every inmate, including access to proper healthcare services.”
According to findings from a 2021 survey conducted by the Centre for Health Research Documentation and Information, HIV and syphilis cases were recorded among inmates in several correctional centres across Sierra Leone. The report identified inmates as one of the vulnerable populations at higher risk of infection due to limited access to healthcare services, overcrowding, and other behavioral and environmental factors.
To address these concerns, the Sierra Leone Correctional Service and the National AIDS Secretariat, with support from World Vision, organized the training to improve awareness and strengthen prevention measures among staff responsible for inmate welfare.
The sessions covered HIV prevention and management, tuberculosis awareness, hepatitis prevention and control, infection prevention practices, voluntary counseling and testing, treatment adherence, referral pathways, and human rights education.
Participants were also educated on the importance of reducing stigma and ensuring that inmates receive dignified and equitable healthcare regardless of their offenses.
Highlighting some of the major challenges facing correctional facilities, Koker pointed to overcrowding as a significant contributor to the spread of infectious diseases.
“In many facilities, a cell designed for five inmates may hold twice that number,” she explained. “This greatly increases the risk of infections such as tuberculosis and hepatitis spreading rapidly.”
She disclosed that the Correctional Service has continued implementing screening procedures for newly admitted inmates, isolating symptomatic cases where necessary, and coordinating with health authorities to ensure testing, treatment, and follow-up care.
As part of long-term solutions to decongest correctional facilities, she said government and partners are supporting the expansion of infrastructure, including the construction of new correctional centres in Waterloo, Moyamba, Kailahun, and Sefadu.
The workshop adopted a Training of Trainers (TOT) approach, with between 150 and 200 officers expected to return to their various correctional centres and replicate the training for colleagues and inmates nationwide.
Koker said the strategy will strengthen awareness, improve early detection of diseases, and contribute to healthier correctional environments across Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone Correctional Service also expressed appreciation to the National HIV and AIDS Secretariat and World Vision for their continued support in providing HIV testing services, antiretroviral treatment (ARVs), prevention programmes, and broader healthcare assistance for both staff and inmates.
At the end of the training, participants pledged to apply the knowledge gained to improve health practices, reduce stigma, and promote safer correctional facilities throughout the country.
The initiative forms part of broader national efforts aimed at strengthening public health education, protecting vulnerable populations, and ensuring that correctional institutions remain both secure and health-conscious.
