Health care system and the challenges
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 26, 2012 -

Two important issues concerning the health of the people in the state and the stark contrast in the approach of the government in dealing with them made front news items in most major newspapers published in Manipur in the last couple of days.

First was the cease work strike of the contractual and peripheral staffs of Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS) and the other was the whimpering cries of the cancer patients over the alleged apathy of the Government.

In the first case, the striking employees have relaxed their stir for five days giving a deep sigh of relief to many people living with HIV/AIDS, more particularly to those who are under Anti-Retro Viral Treatment (ART).

The contractual and peripheral staffs of MACS launched the strike since March 21 in pursuance of their demands for payment of due arrears and implementation of revised pay as per the prescribed norms of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO).

It is said that the monthly salary of the contractual and peripheral staffs working under MACS has not been revised since the implementation of NACP-III in 2008, the arrears which have already been given in other states by NACO are yet to be cleared and the 15 percent annual increment translated into action for the last 4 years in Manipur.

On account of the cease work strike, all the centres dispensing ART drugs remained shut down threatening the lives of over 10,000 people living with HIV/AIDS.

However, taking into consideration of the problems faced by those requiring ART drugs and the pressures from NGOs working in the field of controlling HIV/AIDS, the striking staffs of MACS, after a day-long meeting on March 24, decided to relax the stir for five days.

The contention of the NGOs is that howsoever justifiable they may be, the demands of the striking employees should not put the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS at stake.

It is a truism that cannot be brushed aside that simply. After all, seriousness of the issue over HIV/AIDS and its social implication in Manipur is such that Manipur is one of the six states in the country with high prevalence rate of the epidemic.

But the moot point now, is why the contractual and peripheral staffs of MACS have to take up the cudgel of cease work strike to press their demands, had the state government cleared the fund sanctioned by NACO in time?

On the other hand, feeling dejected by the alleged indifference of the state government in dealing with career patients as compared to HIV/AIDS patients; cancer patients have expressed their desire to be associated with HIV/AIDS rather than cancer.

This may sounds ironic, consideration the fact that both the diseases are considered to be deadly and there is so far no medicine to cure them, but it definitely calls for introspection on the part of the state government over its health care delivery system.

As we have pointed out through this column earlier, in addition to the pain and suffering undergo by cancer patients and their family members, rising cost of treatment is such a burden that many a cancer patient may willingly trade for HIV/AIDS.

Indeed, the impact of cancer is far greater than mere numbers. Its diagnosis causes immense emotional trauma and its treatment, a major economical burden to the patients and their family members.

A recent survey conducted by the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) has also shown that more than one half of cancer patients indicate cancer treatment costs negatively impact their focus on recovery.

In such a scenario and when an increase in the incidence of cancer, especially Head to Neck Cancers, has been witnessed in Manipur in recent times, we can't help but wonder how the government of Manipur, with its crumbling healthcare structure, would be facing the challenge?