of parenteral transmissible infections in prison. Countries vary considerably in how they punish illicit drug use and possession of illicit drugs for personal use. Given the high risk of infection transmission, serious consideration should be given to the negative psychosocial impact of incarceration, particularly on young drug‑dependent persons, the lack of appropriate treatment and rehabilitation facilities for drug dependency in prison settings, the legal framework and sentencing practices, especially the imprisonment of drug‑ dependent ofenders. All possible alternatives to incarceration for the many petty crimes of drug users should be considered at all levels of the criminal justice system – police, pre‑trial period, court, post‑trial – and various alter‑ natives to prison – diversion, alternative sanctions, release on parole – should be sought, combined with treatment ofered in the community.8 Education and training In line with the principles of health promotion in prison,9 continuous education and training programmes on HIV/Aids and hepatitis B and C should include the whole prison community: prisoners, prison staf, prison administration and persons with or without risk behaviour. The programmes should include information on the aetiology and pathogenesis of relevant infectious diseases, their course, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, and particularly the routes and means of transmission, ways they will not be transmitted, how to protect oneself and others, harm‑reduction measures and what to do after possible exposure. They should also include an invitation to voluntary confdential counselling and testing. However, information about harm‑reduction meas‑ ures and testing is only preventive if they are also provided and accessible in prison. The training programmes must take into account the high prevalence of illiteracy, learning difculties and language barriers in the prison population. The frequency of regular education and training events on this issue should consider the turnover rate of inmates and staf, as well as the importance of keeping knowledge and awareness of the topic alive. It is the obligation of health‑care professionals that, as well as providing infor‑ mation individually, face to face, during medical consultations on admission (see above, Medical consultation on admission), they ensure education and 8. UNODC: From coercion to cohesion: treating drug dependence through health care not pun‑ ishment, Discussion paper of a scientifc workshop, 28‑30 October 2009 (Vienna 2010); EMCDDA: Alternatives to imprisonment — targeting ofending problem drug users in the EU (Lisbon 2005). 9. Møller L. et al: Health in prisons: a WHO guide to the essentials in prison health (Geneva 2007). Prison health care and medical ethics Page 54