MHRC registers case
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 23 2022:
The Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC), on taking serious note of the frequent non-availability of oral substitution therapy (OST) medicines to drug dependents coming to acquire medicines from OST centres opened across the State, has called this a case of human rights violation and registered a case under Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 .
According to a statement issued by Community Network For Empowerment (CoNE), the decision to register a case was arrived at on January 20, 2022 following a complaint lodged by CoNE over denial of OST medicines by various OST centres across the State to drug dependents.
MHRC has directed all respondents i.e Director of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India; Director, Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS); Chief Medical Officer, Kakching Community Health Centre; Medical Superintendent, Ukhrul District Hospital and Medical Superintendent, Senapati District Hospital, to respond within three weeks from January 20, 2022, the statement informed.
As per the statement, CoNE, on various occasions had lodged complaints to authorities concerned to ensure uninterrupted supply of OST medicines however, no concrete action has been taken up by the authorities concerned.
The latest complaint came to CoNE on January 18, 2022 from three drug dependents who had been accessing OST medicines from OST centres located at Kakching Community Health Centre, Ukhrul District Hospital and Senapati District Hospital, the statement informed.
International evidence including Indian records show that OST programmes are effective in substantially reducing the transmission of HIV/AIDS and other blood borne virus like Hepatitis-C & B.It also reduces illicit drug use, premature death from overdose, drug related criminal activities, financial burden and other stresses related to drug users and their family.
However, CoNE stated that despite this evidence of positive outcomes of OST programmes, due to evident negligence on the part of the implementing authorities, the programme is now in a state of failure which calls for serious and prompt action.