The Lesotho Mounted Police Services (LMPS) conducted a one-week HIV and TB competence workshop for police officers held in Maseru from February 15 to 19, 2010.

The LMPS HIV and AIDS Counsellor Ms. Ntsoaki Rapeane said the objective is to equip LMPS staff members with HIV and TB diseases competence to be able to mainstream HIV and TB to all levels of the police services and create conducive working environment for staff living with these diseases.

The last training on HIV and AIDS for the police was held for district commanders and heads of the unit in 2003 where some of them are now transferred or resigned,” she added.

The trained members are expected to be the HIV and TB focal persons that will be responsible to disseminate information in their respective districts and support people living with these diseases in their offices.

“At the moment there is no specific wellness centre for people living with HIV or TB in the Police service but there are support groups of people who know their status, said Ms. Rapeane.

Repeane said it is now time for all staff to know the relationship between HIV and TB so that the patients who suffer from HIV could test for TB and those who have TB could also test for HIV.

The workshop was facilitated by members of ADRA of the Seventh Day Adventist Church while participants were members of police staff drawn from all districts in the country.

During the training the participants learnt about HIV and TB as well as Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) symptoms, treatments, side effects as well as preventive measures and disease management.

The workshop is part of Round 8 HIV grant whose aim is to create conducive work place environment for HIV and TB patients.