CM flags off six Mobile ICTC Vans
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, April 24 2023: Chief Minister N Biren Singh flagged off six Mobile Integrated Counselling & Testing Centre (ICTC) Vans from the western gate of the Chief Minister's Secretariat, here, on Monday.

The six Mobile ICTC Vans will be operational in four valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur and Thoubal and two hill districts of Churachandpur and Senapati.

The vans, which were procured from JNIMS, will also provide emergency services with priority to HIV-related ailments.

Two smaller vans will be provided for Ukhrul and Tamenglong districts.

The mobile ICTC consists of a van with a room to conduct general examination and counselling, and a space for the collection and processing of blood samples, etc.

A mobile ICTC consisting of a team of paramedical health-care providers (a health educator/ANM, counsellor and LT) can set up a temporary clinic with flexible working hours in hard-to-reach areas, where services are provided ranging from regular health check-up, syndromic treatment for STI/reproductive tract infection (RTI) and other minor ailments, antenatal care, immunization, as well as HTV counselling and testing services.

Speaking to media persons in this regard, CM Biren pointed out that the problems of drug menace in Manipur could not be solved only by apprehending drug peddlers and destroying poppy plantation, but also requires rehabilitation programmes of drug addicts.

Although there has been a decline in the HIV prevalence, there is still need for proper treatment of the infected person(s), he maintained.

Thus, to put an end to the trend of drugs, which also correlates to rise of HIV/AIDS, in the state, there is the need to further strengthen the War on Drugs drive in addition to the solutions mentioned above.

Observing that drug bust cases have gone down recently, Biren attributed the reason for the previous drug bust cases to diligence of intelligence sleuths and support of.the people.

He also credited the success to good, alert police work like cracking down on poppy plantations in the hills and drug-manufacturing factories in the valley areas.

He continued that the six vans had been procured by Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) through Government e Marketplace (GeM).

The mobile van is also being provided for other hill districts, but a smaller version would be used, considering the narrow roads.

He then appealed to the public to stay away from drugs as it has affected the lives of the people in many ways.

Health minister Dr Sapam Ranjan, MACS project director Haobam Rosita and other officials of MACS also attended the programme.

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