MACS staff soften strike posture
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 24 2012: Following joint appeal by rights group and civil society organisations the agitating staff of Manipur AIDS Control society (MACS) have decided to relax their stand and dispense/provide ART drugs for a five-day period with immediate effect.

The appeal follows a meeting convened by CoNE, an NGO working in the field of prevention of HIV/AIDS, which was attended by representative of various NGOs and ART dependants.

"There could be legitimate grievances of MACS staff currently on strike, but denial of ART to people living with HIV and AIDS amounts to violation of not only right to health of PLHA, but their very right to life.

It is incumbent on the government of Manipur to promptly find an alternative", said Human Rights Alert director Babloo Loitongbam, , while speaking at the meeting convened to discuss the situation following the cease work strike.

Employees of MACS, who are on cease work strike since March 21, thus halting all activities in ICTC and ART centres all over the state, have decided to continue dispensing ART medicine for five days starting today.

"We have decided to resume dispensing ARV drugs considering the hardship faced by people living with HIV and AIDS.

However, if the government fails to take steps to fulfil our demands within these five days we may resort to other non-violent protests", said an employee.

"The government must take immediate constructive measures to address legitimate grievances of the employees so that such disruptions do not recur", said CORE convenor Dr Debabrata Roy adding that any interim measure to restore services cannot be a substitute for correct or appropriate measures.

The government, MACS and NACO should ensure services in accordance with its therapeutic, public health and human rights objectives, maintained the convenor.

Representatives of Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), All Manipur Bar Association (AMBA), Human Rights Alert (HRA), Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), Centre for Organisation Research and Education (CORE), Indigenous Mothers Association (IMA), Kuki Women Union took part at the meeting organised by Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE) .

MACS staff went on a cease work strike to exert pressure to relevant authorities on their demands to release arrears and revise their pay as per National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) norms.

NACO had revised the pay of all contractual staff working for all the State AIDS Control Societies (SACS) in India, including MACS, in 2009.NACO also effected an annual pay increment of SACS staff starting April 2010.however, MACS staff have been denied these benefits so far.

Around 10,012 people are presently accessing ART services from seven ART centres in Manipur.

Appealing to the government to find an amicable solution, All Manipur Bar Association secretary S Shamacharan said that the government has to find an alternative so that at least ART service is not disrupted.

"We may have to take legal actions if the government fails to solve the impasse immediately," he cautioned.

Tomba (name changed), a resident of Imphal East, is thankful to MACS employees that they have decided to resume ART services even though it is for five days only.

Tomba who was reportedly greeted by a closed ART centre at JNIMS, yesterday is worried that if the government fails to take immediate steps ART centres may close down again.

"The government has to do something for us.

All these years we have been advised to strictly adhere to treatment.

If the government fails again, everything will go down the drain" .

If the government fails to address the issue within the next five days, thousands like Tomba in the state will be compelled to buy ARV drugs from the chemist.

Unfortunately for most people on ART, impoverished by prolonged treatment and unable to work, the drugs are beyond their reach.

CoNE president Nolinikanta said that the government has been made aware of the possibility of such a situation 15 days before the cease work strike began however it failed to take any actions.

"Their (Government) inaction has put thousands of lives in peril.

We share the grievances of the staff on strike and will do whatever we can so that it is addressed.

At the same time we also would like to request the government and MACS staff to resolve the issue amicably" .

Condemning inaction of the government TKS (Ukhrul) president Yangmi said that in case the cease work or similar protest continues, hundreds of patients who come to Ukhrul district hospital for ART will face immense hardship.

Rose Mangshi (President, Kuki Women Union), Tam Zimik (President, IMA) and others who participated in the meeting today, while urging the government to take immediate steps, also appealed ART staff to continue providing ARV drugs in the interest of people living with HIV and AIDS.

A memorandum in this regard will be submitted to Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, Health Minister Phungzathang Tonsing, and Justice KG Balakrishnan, who is Chairman of National Human Rights Commission.

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