Peer Education Program to Reduce Tuberculosis and HIV Risks in Tanzania Prisons: Pocket Guide for Peer Educators

This guide is designed to support peer education programmes among inmates and prison staff in Tanzania. It seeks to encourage behaviour change to reduce the risk of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) by educating inmates and prison staff about what leads to HIV and TB infection and encouraging use of available health services - both in and out of the prison setting.

Developed as part of the Strengthening Police and Prisons Comprehensive HIV Services (SPPCHS) project run by AIDSFree, the objective of the guide is to address the high prevalence of HIV among prisoners in Tanzania, as well as the high burden of TB and HIV co-infection. Tanzania’s police and prison staff are also at high risk for HIV infection due to the nature of their employment and frequent relocations. Through the SPPCHS programme, AIDSFree seeks to improve the quality of comprehensive HIV and TB prevention, treatment, care, and support services at high-volume police and prison facilities in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. As explained in the guide, although the book is designed for use by inmate and prison staff peer educators and is tailored specifically for the prison setting, the lessons can be adjusted for use by other beneficiaries, including the police.

The guide provides peer educators with activities and information necessary to deliver training on HIV and TB to groups of about 20 inmates and prison staff. These activities use interactive methods to engage peers in discussions, games, role playing, and question and answer sessions. There are six modules, with each module containing a brief introduction along with key facts and information. The modules cover the following topics:

1. Basic Information about HIV and AIDS
2. Risk Behaviors for TB and HIV Transmission in Prison
3. TB and HIV Treatment, Care, and Support
4. Breaking the Silence on TB and HIV
5. Living Positively with TB and HIV