CSOs urge for revised AIDS policy
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 01 2014 : Demanding urgent implementation of the Revised Manipur State AIDS Policy as well as the directives issued during a particular mee-ting presided by the Chief Se- cretary, several civil society organisations and NGOs have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister today.

The seven-point memorandum was jointly submitted by Christian Network of Positive Women, Platform for Positive Women, Self Support Group, World Vision, CoNE, FXB and Women Action for Development after holding a consultation at Manipur Press Club.

The demands as highlight-ed in the memorandum are; adopt a resolution during the ongoing Assembly session for implementation of the Re-vised Manipur State AIDS Policy 2010, provide free la-boratory testing and investi- gation facilities to people living with HIV at Government hospitals, initiate special mea-sures so that people living with HIV get more benefits out of several schemes being implemented by Social Welfare Department, provide safe drinking water and equip all ART centres with rest rooms, assign doctors including gynaecologists at all ART cen- tres and equip all ART centres with CD4 count machines.

On October 18, 2013, the Chief Secretary convened a meeting with officials of all departments and deliberated on bringing issues and problems confronting people liv- ing with HIV to the mainstream.

Another demand/point of the memorandum is implementation of the recommendations adopted at the particular meeting.

The meeting held at Mani-pur Press Club today was on the topic "Demand for Basic Services and Human Rights for People Living with HIV/AIDS".

Imphal Free Press Associate Editor Chitra Ahan-them and CoNE president RK Kanta spoke at the meeting as resource persons.

RK Kanta said that around 20,000 people have been enrolled in ART centres and around 10,000 people are getting ART.

Before starting ART cour-se or after ART course has been started, PLHIV have to undergo around five different laboratory investigations and these investigations are done free of cost in other States.

But in Manipur, only the CD4 count test is done free of cost.

Even if one is on ART course, one need not go for kidney function test, liver function test or haemoglobin test in spite of the doctor's advice provided he/she has no health problem.

One should consult doctors and asked why all these tests are necessary, Kanta said.

He further appealed to PLHIV to take help from the legal aid cell and lodge complaints if they have any grievances.

Later some women living with HIV gave testimonies about their experiences and hardships they encountered.

They said that they did not get any benefit from schemes taken up by Social Welfare Department.

They even accused the Government of discriminating them.

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