CoNE moots discourse on doorstep ART drug delivery
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 03 2021: While welcoming the announcement made by chief minister N Biren Singh to start distribution of ART medicine to people living with HIV/AIDS at their doorsteps, Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) has said that it would be right to discuss pros and cons of the initiative before implementation.

According to CoNE pres ident RK Nalinikanta, the initiative taken by the government to distribute ART medicine at the doorsteps of people living with HIV/AIDS is significant and good but it would be better for the government to discuss the proposed policy with representatives of community organisations before implementation.

People living with HIV/AIDS may face discrimination from local residents or even create unwanted incident when the programme is implemented suddenly, he said and strongly called for having in-depth discussion on the programme before implementation.

Addressing a press conference at CoNE office on Friday, Nalinikanta said that ART is the only medicine government is providing to people living with HIV/AIDS free of cost.

The state is yet to have viral load testing machine and it is very unfortunate that government is not paying any attention to it, he said and stressed the need for extension of contract agreement signed between Manipur government and Metropolis Compariy on viral load testing.

He also appealed to the government to make arrangement for making available essential medicines other than ART to people living with HIV/AIDS in an easy way by listing the medicines under essential items.

He also stressed the need for having TB testing facility at ART centres.

Nalinikanta also announced that CoNE will submit a memorandum highlighting HIV/AIDS status and loopholes in programmes taken up by the department concerned to the chief minister every four months.

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