NGOs urge MACS to call off strike
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 22 2012:
Several NGOs and civil society organisations have appealed to the peripheral staff of MACS to call off their cease-work strike.
Notably, MACS peripheral staff who were engaged in administering ART drugs to people living with HIV/AIDS and other essential services launched an indefinite cease-work strike since yesterday.
At a press meet held this afternoon in the office of MNP+, senior volunteers of MNP+, Manipur Drug Users Forum, SASO, User Manipur, Kripa Society, Kripa Foundation, AMADA, Care Foundation, Lifeline and Recovery Alliance appealed to the MACS peripheral staff to call off their cease-work strike immediately.
Any form of democratic agitation other than cease-work strike would be supported NGOs and civil society organisations working for people living with HIV/AIDS.
They maintained that the peripheral staff of MACS are just like teachers to people living with HIV/AIDS.
They have been advising people living with HIV/AIDS to take ART drugs on time besides giving many other essential services.
HIV positive people have been taking ART drugs without variation of even a single minute in their daily routine of taking the same drugs.
By resorting to cease-work strike, the peripheral staff have thrown around 38,000 people living with HIV into a sea of trouble.
The senior volunteers also appealed to pursue their demands in a democratic manner.
It is rather inhuman to close down ART centres from where people living with HIV used to take their daily drugs.
They further appealed to MACS to come to an understanding with the peripheral staff by March 24 .
They also appealed to the peripheral staff to make an alternative arrangement if they must continue with the cease-work strike.