Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 10 2009:
In its continuous efforts to inspect and observe the functioning of HIV/AIDS related NGOs and drop in centres, the USER Manipur has today come across several NGOs and drop in centres in Imphal lacking in giving STI treatment to their clients.
The USER Manipur and a team of media persons had inspected the DIC of various DICs in Imphal including WESDEB, Uripok KRIPA DIC, Takhel Leikai, and SASO DIC, Uripok.
The inspecting USER Manipur group and a team of media persons have discovered that all the DICs which they have inspected are lacking STI treatment in their DIC though they have many clients.
At WESDEB DIC located at Uripok, the inspecting team found that it has been lacking STI treatment though the DIC has run its own clinic.
Talking to the visiting team, the workers of the DIC said that lack of equipments has rendered them unable to give treatment to STI.
The workers said that equipments necessary for STI treatment have been not affordable in the State as some equipments are also banned in the state due to the prevailing law and order situation.
At Takhel Leikai, the KRIPA Society's run DIC was found that no regular treatment for STI has been available.
Workers at the DIC said that the DIC has been providing service to as many as 500 IDUs and a hundred of their spouses.
Till now the DIC has covered 474 IDUs while 40 regular clients have relied on the DIC.
The team also inspected the SASO DIC at Uripok Bachaspati Leikai, someMSMs have aired their grievance due to social stigmatization.
The NGOs involved in administering treatment to HIV/AIDS patients have also made an appeal not to impose monetary demand to them and said that it can be a hinder towards their cause.