Mass campaign to precede International Drug Users Day observance
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 16 2011: Ahead of the International Drug Users Day observance on November 1, the Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) will embark on a mass campaign from tomorrow under the theme 'A new beginning for a long journey' .

a state level network of 13 community based organisations of people who use drugs in Manipur, newly elected CoNE president RK Nolinikanta said a media briefing that in addition to being vulnerable to HIV, people who use drugs are susceptible to viral hepatitis and tuberculosis infections, sexually transmitted infections, other bacterial infections and death by overdose.

The prevalence of infection of hepatitis C, which is more infectious than HIV, among people who inject drugs in many districts of Manipur has been reported to be even higher, in some cases as high as 90 per cent, the CoNE president pointed out.

Informing that an orientation programme of musicians and volunteers for the campaign was conducted on October 11, Nolinikanta highlighted that the campaign with cover almost all the districts.

"The HIV response is insufficiently grounded in evidence and fails to meet international legal obligations to promote, protect and respect human rights", he said with the observation that drug users living with HIV are subjected to a double stigma and often experience discrimination when attempting to access HIV prevention services.

"Care and support services are alarmingly inaccessible for them and those that are available too are generally not tailored to their specific needs, even in instances where programming and funding for HIV programs have otherwise expanded considerably," he added.

Chipping in CoNE secretary M Gandhar highlighted that drug users face additional barriers due to the fact that drug use carries with it a high degree of stigma, both within the general community and among health care workers, further marginalizing people with drug dependence problems.

"This means that HIV interventions may not be available to them, or that drug users are unable or unwilling to access services from fear of discrimination", he maintained while noting that female drug users and female partners of male drug users can be especially vulnerable.

"This is not only because of the possible overlap of unsafe injecting and unsafe sexual practices, but also because of the notable lack of gender-specific policies and services, which results in a failure to address the specific needs of women.

Extra effort is therefore needed to ensure that prevention strategies are based on principles of social inclusion," Gandhar suggested.

With regard to the ensuing events Nolinikanta said the campaign will focus on organizing road shows in all districts, quiz, seminar with Manipur University, blood donation, poster campaign, music concerts etc.

to raise awareness about dignity and respect of human life, access to care, treatment and support systems for people who use drugs.

The observation will give the opportunity of coming together of people who use drugs and various community stakeholders-law enforcement agencies, health care workers and community leaders underlying the need to involve the people who use drugs as citizens in the response to the drug use menace and its related consequences, he added.

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