Sit-in staged against shortage of ART
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 20 2023:
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) clients and HIV/AIDS affected people on Monday staged a sit-in protest at Nongmeibung, denouncing shortage of ART 2nd line medicines at ART centres across the state.
The sit-in was organised by various HIV/AIDS community organisations and IENP+, wherein the protestors held placards inscribed with the slogans like, 'Don't deny our Right to Life', and 'Provide regular supply of ART'.
Speaking on the sidelines, an ART client informed that under the aegis of NACO, the HIV/AIDS affected people have been regularly provided with ART medicines for free.
In Manipur, MACS has taken over the responsibility and providing the ART through its various centres including at RIMS and JNIMS.
However, the supply of the medicines has become irregular due to shortage of ART 2nd line in stock, which, in turn, is affecting the clients badly especially those coming to RIMS and JNIMS from far-off places.
Denouncing MACS's inability to ensure regular supply of ART medicines, the client Urged the chief minister, the health minister and the health department to look into the matter and provide ART medicines to the patients as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, MACS officials came to the protest site and informed the protestors that 1500 tablets of paediatric dispersible tablets brought from Nagaland will be dispensed in the state from Tuesday.
However, the protestors' conveyed that merely producing 1500 tablets will not be able to meet the requirements of the total number of people who are in need of the medicine.
They also raised question of the ethical right of paediatric drug dispersal to adults.