Ukhrul NGO demands fair play
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 29:
In connection with the proposal of setting up one 10-bedded Community Care Centre in Ukhrul district under Manipur AIDS Control Society, the Ukhrul District AIDS Committee has allegedly submitted the names of three NGOs which are not qualified for the purpose.
Kaphung Raisang Long, an organisation associated with HIV/AIDS has warned of taking recourse to various intense forms of agitation including calling a district State wide bandh in case the names of the other qualified NGOs are not nominated for the purpose at the soonest possible.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, secretary of Kaphung Raisang Long Reisang Shinglai informed that in accordance with the instruction of Manipur State AIDS Control Society for setting up a 10-bedded Community Care Centre at Ukhrul district, the District AIDS Committee had submitted the names of three NGOs based at Ukhrul district.
The three NGOs are Development of Eco and Ecological Awareness Society, Tangkhul Youth Council and Citizen's Alliance for Re-empowerment.
The recommendation had been jointly signed by Dr ASK Felix, who is the DAO/Member Secretary of District AIDS Committee, Ukhrul and Pankaj Kumar Pal, who is the Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of District AIDS Committee, Ukhrul and submitted the same to Principal Secretary (Health), Director of Health Services and Project Director of MACS on January 25 this year.
According to guidelines laid down, the DAO or the DC cannot make individual recommendations for any NGO, said Shinglai and added that the last date for submitting the recommended panel was January 25.However the three NGOs were recommended on January 28, well after the deadline.
Out of the three NGOs whose names have been recommended, Development of Eco and Ecological Awareness Society has not yet even completed one year of its establishment while the other two NGOs namely Tangkhul Youth Council and Citizen's Alliance for Re-empowerment have so far been associated only with Harm Reduction Project under Orchid Project, Reisang Shinglai said.
However, he pointed out that in accordance to the laid down criteria for operating the proposed Community Care Centre, the NGO should have atleast three years experience in the field of medical and health care including adequate experience in health care of HIV/AIDS patients.
Since all the three NGOs that have been recommended do not fulfil the laid down criteria, qualified NGOs should be selected for running the Community Care Centre after a proper scrutiny by an expert committee, Shinglai suggested.
Written intimation have also been send to the Director General of NACO and the Principal Secretary of Health in this regard, he disclosed.