Chandel, Tamenglong, AR observe World AIDS Day
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 01 2015: CHANDEL: All Tribal Women's Organisation (ATWO) in collaboration with District Legal Services Authority, Chandel organized observation of World Aids Day cum Legal Awareness at Life Care Centre located at Tuishimi in Chandel District on Tuesday.

Advocate Ng Nongyai, Former Member of Manipur Human Rights Commission and M Ibohal Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Chandel who is also Secretary of Chandel District Legal Services Authority attended the programme as the Chief Guest and Functional President respectively.

Advocate Ng Nongyai told that the State is besieged with the problem of HIV/AIDS and drug abused since the past few decades.

And there is a fairly good number of people living with HIV / AIDS in the State who were suffering not only from the dreaded virus but also from social stigma, he added.

He further maintained that most of the people misconceived that people living with HIV / AIDS were infected due to their loose moral character or substance abused.

But majority of them particularly women and child were infected unknowingly and not because of their own misdeeds.

As such, we have to treat them equally and should not be looked down and discriminated in the society, said the former member of Human Rights Commission.

Chandel, Tamenglong, AR observe World AIDS Day

While strongly condemning discrimination against them, the Advocate also urged that all the responsible authority should ensure to provide the facilities and welfare schemes to the people living with HIV / AIDS without any discrimination.

M Ibohal Singh also maintained that social stigma and discrimination against People living with HIV / AIDS is against the law.

AIDS is just a dreaded disease caused by a virus called HIV.

And with proper nutrition and medication any persons living with HIV / AIDS can also leads a healthy and normal life too.

So, we have to stop discrimination against them but let's motivate them so that they can live with dignity, he added.

K Muikham, Secretary ATWO, TK Amita, former Secretary of ATWO and Lewis, ANM of Chakpikarong PHC attended as Resource Persons and spoke on the topic "Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) in the Society" .

Several Widows and People living with HIV/AIDS from different communities of the District took part in the observation of World's Aids Day cum Legal Awareness program.

TAMENGLONG: World AIDS Day was observed at Town Baptist Church Complex, Tamenglong and was organised by District AIDS Prevention Control Committee United (DAPCCU) Tamenglong sponsored by Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS).

District AIDS Control Officer Tamenglong Dr Z Kamei on the occasion said that out of 106 PLHIVs, 5 persons died this year.

88 persons are now taking ART and 12 have consumed Pre ART while 6 persons have been transferred outside the district, Kamei said.

In his speech as chief guest, Joseph Pauline, IAS CEO, ADC Tamenglong said that prevention is better than cure as saying everyone can be free from dreadful disease by obeying parent/teacher and by living spiritually.

Dr Chambo Gonmei, Chief Medical Officer Tamenglong told that 5 ICTCs namely ICTC Tamenglong, ICTC Noney, ICTC Nungba, ICTC Tamei and Mobile ICTC.

There is one PPTCT at the District Hospital, Tamenglong.

He appealed the people of Tamenglong to remove stigma and discrimination towards the HIV AIDs persons.

The Chief Medical Officer Tamenglong also informed that celebration of World AIDS day at school level by organizing quiz, debate and skit competition will soon enforce in the district.

According to clients test report from April, 2015 to November 2015, 1459 male and female 979 were tested which 6 persons were positive detected for the HIV.

4 male, 1 female and 1 at ANC.

Songs and skit were performed during the observation of World AIDs Day celebration.

Gifts were also pr sented to People Living with HIV AIDS.

Meanwhile, After the formally function of World AIDS Day observed Dr Chambo Gonmei, Chief Medical Officer, Tamenglong in the presence of District AIDS Control Officer, Tamenglong and Dr Th Irabot Singh, MO, OST, District Hospital Tamenglong inaugurated the Opioid Substitution Therapy Treatment Centre Tamenglong at the District Hospital, Tamenglong.

Dr Chambo Gonmei said that the OST will certainly help those IV drug users and will lessen their burden.

The OST in the District Hospital Tamenglong has well functioning ART Centre (Anti-Retroviral Therapy), he added.

He further informed that free baseline investigation for HIV positive patients on ART is available at the Di trict Hospital, Tamenglong.

ASSAM RIFLES: As part of observing World AIDS Day, the day has been observed at Rk Sanatombi Devi Vidyalaya School, Jiribam on Tuesday organised by 27 Assam Rifles.

Pamphlets on HIV /AIDS and, Red Ribbon symbolizing Right against AIDS were distributed among the students.

Red Ribbons were also distributed among locals in the market place in and around Jiribam to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS.