Networking programme on AIDS held at Thoubal
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Thoubal, November 10 2015: New Vision Manipur under supportive of Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS), Imphal organised network programme on the theme "Role of AIDS Helpline 1097 (toll free) Achievements and Challenges" at the office of AIDS Helpline Telephone Counseling Centre Thoubal.

The programme was attended by District AIDS Prevention Control Unit Thoubal Supervisor Th Openkumar and Chief Functionary New Vision Manipur Kh Pradipkumar as presidium members.

In his speech Kh Pradipkumar said that the AIDS Helpline Thoubal started working in the district since 2005 with the support of MACS.

The centre is manned by one project manager and two counselors.

The help line centre has been functioning almost 24X7 beyond official hour.

Pradipkumar stated that the help line received 2831 calls between April, 2014 and March, 2015 which 670 calls related to general information while 433 calls related on treatment and care on the AIDS.

He claimed that despite Manipur has high awareness level on the HIV/AIDS and the house wives and their children who were categorized as non risk group have been affected largely by the virus due to moral character changes.

Pradipkumar alleged that the advancement in the field of Information Technology producing smart and high-tech mobile phones, internet access has brought drastic changes towards moral and ethical views around sex and sexuality.

Now more open and more liberal sexual behavior became a trend among the adolescents.

Besides IDUs-sexual route is becoming a common route for infecting the HIV virus.

Therefore service of AIDS Helpline 1097 is still significant.

It is confidential toll free means no need to pay for call.

It provides counseling besides useful information, he added.

Pradipkumar lamented that in recent time there was trial run for a centralised Call Centre with running a regional call centre in Guwahati for the whole North East Region.

However, it is less feasible and unworkable in the region where a large number of communities speaking different languages and dialects.

Even in Manipur, where more than 36 communities speaking different languages are living, a single centralised call centre is not feasible.

In Manipur four centres are operational in Imphal, Thoubal, Churachandpur and Chandel, he added.

He appealed the people to dial to 1097 and get more information on the AIDs stating that it is same like as a vaccine of HIV/AIDS that one can get more information, knowledge from this toll free number about how to prevent of HIV/AIDS, What is ATR treatment, how to living in healthy and positive living by the HIV positive persons and how to prevent from HIV virus by a positive pregnancy mother to her new born baby under PPCT.

And one can bring a changeable life to a turning point.

ASHA workers, Male sex workers, female sex workers, members of DAPCU,YARD Kakching and local clubs of Thoubal district took part in the programme.

Interaction programme with the resource persons was also held in the programme.

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