Cork Prison to pilot new HSE hepatitis C project

Project in Cork Prison will commence in the third quarter of this year

The Prison Service is actively engaging with the HSE and developing comprehensive treatment plans for the remaining closed prisons, namely Castlerea, Cork (pictured). Picture: Dan Linehan

A new HSE hepatitis C pilot project is in the planning stages and is due to commence in Cork Prison later this year after concerns were again raised about the prevalence of the virus in the prison system.

In response to parliamentary questions last week by Fine Gael Deputy Colm Burke, the Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Frank Feighan, said the pilot project in Cork Prison would commence in the third quarter of this year.

Mr Burke was also told that "Comprehensive treatment arrangements with the HSE are in place for the majority of closed prisons to deal with Hep C.

"The Prison Service is actively engaging with the HSE and developing comprehensive treatment plans for the remaining closed prisons, namely Castlerea, Cork, and Limerick by means of a GP-led community model of care for the screening and management of Hepatitis C, in line with the National Hepatitis C Strategy."

Mr Burke had raised reports that up to 13% of the Irish prison population have hepatitis C.

A new study published just last month showed that new infections in jails here was low. That study, entitled , was carried out by a team of researchers led by Des Crowley of the School of Medicine at University College Dublin.

The research involved 99 prisoners in Mountjoy jail, with most completing a research-administered questionnaire.

"Over half (51%) had a history of drug use from a young age (14.8 yrs.), 49.9% a history of heroin use, and 39% a history of IDU [intravenous drug use]," it said. "The prevalence of HIV and hepatitis B virus core antibody was 3% and HCV antibody was 22.2%.

"No new HCV infections were identified in those who had never been infected (n = 77), had self-cleared (n = 9) or achieved sustained virological response (n = 12). Small numbers of prisoners continued to engage in risk-behaviour including, IDU both in the prison (n = 2) and the community (n = 3), sharing syringes (n = 1) and drug taking paraphernalia (n = 6) and receiving non-sterile tattoos (n = 3)."

It concluded: "Despite the high numbers of Irish prisoners with a history of IDU and HCV infection, new HCV infection is low or non-existent in this population."

In a letter sent to Mr Burke last week, Hildegarde Naughton, the Minister of State with special responsibility for Civil and Criminal Justice, said: "While medical information, including details of the results of Hepatitis C screening, is held on the individual prisoner record, the system does not allow for centralised reporting of a particular medical condition. Steps are being taken to review how this data is compiled and the Irish Prison Service’s aim is to have this completed by the end of 2021."