Consultation on Comprehensive HIV Prevention held
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 26 2013:
Along with the rising concern for addressing the issues of Injecting Drug users (IDUs), People Living with HIV & AIDS (PLHIVs) and people with different sexual orientations who are confined inside the jails, the additional need for implementing condom promotion programme in Sajiwa jail of Manipur has become a reality today.
The need for condom promotion programme inside Sajiwa jail was highlighted and discussed seriously during a day-long State Level Consultation on Comprehensive HIV Prevention, Care and Support, which was organized jointly by Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP+), Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS) and Central Jail Sajiwa at the Conference Hall of MACS located at RD Wing, Lamphelpat here today.
The consultation was a part of the activities of Prison Intervention Project being taken up as a pilot project by MNP+ with the support of MACS and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) .
The consultation programme was attended by IK Muivah (IPS), Superintendant of Police, Manipur Central Jail/ Central jail Sajiwa, Government of Manipur and Dr SK Chaurasia (IAS), Project Director of MACS, as presidium members.
During the course of the discussion, delegates from various NGOs working in the field of HIV and AIDS, media persons and various other renowned persons in the field brought up the issue of making condoms freely available in Central Jail Sajiwa, considering the number of PLHIVs, drug users and people with different sexual orientations (though they don't come out openly) staying inside the jail.
Even the Project Director of MACS had no problem as far as supply of condoms is concerned but pointed out that 'we also have to look into and consider the rules and regulation of the jail.
If the jail authorities permit, all is set to be initiated.
However, the jail authorities were reluctant to initiate condom promotion programme inside the jail for reasons best known to them.
In this regard, IK Muivah maintained, "Condom promotion programme inside Sajiwa Jail where the inmates are exclusively males will create problems in the long run since the people of the State are more or less orthodox in their belief.
Even a liberalized country like America is finding it hard to solve the problem of same sex marriage" .
Nonetheless, he took note of the proposals and assured that he would discuss the matter with higher authorities.
IK Muivah also clarified that there are no cases of drugs being used inside the jail premises.
"We are making relentless effort to clean up the jail and there have been cases where even jail authorities are imprisoned because of their involvement in carrying drugs inside the jail premises", he added.
Furthermore, he appealed to all the inmates of the jail to get themselves tested for HIV and observed that HIV screening is the most important matter to be taken up inside the jail.
It is said that, at present, there are 373 clients enrolled under the Comprehensive HIV Prevention, Care and Support Services, CHPCSS, (Prison Intervention Project), out of which 275 are Injecting Drug Users.
Among them 18 clients have ART access and six of them have HCV co-infection.
Abhiram Mongjam, Joint Director in charge of Targeted Intervention (TI), MACS, briefed on the topic of "Jail Intervention in Manipur Jail" and W Phanitphang, Additional SP, Central Jail Sajiwa spoke on the present scenario of Manipur jail.
President of MNP+ L Deepak gave the welcoming speech.
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