U-TRUST denounces MUC's remarks
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 06 2024:
The Union of Treatment and Rehabilitation of Users for Social Transformation (U-TRUST) has strongly denounced the scathing remarks made by the Manipur Users Collective (MUC) against private drug rehabilitation centres in a press meet held on March 4, 2024 .
A release issued by Th Saracthandra, president U-TRUST, also conveyed disappointment over the allegations made by the spokespon of MUC in the said press conference that 'the mushrooming of private rehabilitation centres is creating problems in the society as the centres are resorting to unethical means while trying to acquire clients/inmates' .
U-TRUST clarified that private rehabilitation centres operate under certain guidelines laid down by the Department of Social Welfare, Government of Manipur and its is the duty of the department to look into the matter if there is any ill conduct or untoward incident that violates the guideline.
"Moreover no information was given to us officially to discuss about the alleged incident which is reportedly related with treatment centres even though U-TRUST has been standing against any form of activities that is against the guidelines since the days it was known as Committee on Suitable guideline for non-funded private rehab centres'', it added.
U-TRUST also informed that the same committee of 70 private rehab centres / organisations had on February 4, 2022 urged the Chief Minister to have a guideline for private rehab centres especially to avoid human right violation of drug users in rehab centres.
"However, it is very unfortunate that the recent scathing attack attempt of MUC to project the private rehabilitation centres as a whole in a bad light by tying private drug rehabilitation centres to some unwanted incident is extremely deplorable", it said.
U-TRUST also demanded MUC to specify the particular private rehabilitation centres involved in the alleged violation of rights so that appropriate actions may be initiated against them by the Department concerned as per law of the land instead of slandering all private centres.
U-TRUST also announced its resolution to not recognise MUC as a community organisation and stop supporting any of its activities.
"Further, it is resolved that any organisations related with drug/HIV/viral hepatitis will not be allowed to conduct any form of awareness, testing camps, health camps, interview or research, etc in the private drug rehabilitation centres without an understanding between the Department concerned and U-TRUST", it concluded.