Imphal, August 19 2009: Accusing the Manipur AIDS Control Society of wilfully stalling the setting up of Community Care Centre for HIV/IADS patients at Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul, the All Zeliangrong Students' Union is set to file a case against MACS in the Gauhati High Court.

As per the directive of the National AIDS Control Organisation, one Community Care Centre each is to be set up in all the districts of the State.

The process for setting up the CCC has been initiated in the other districts two years back, but in the said three districts, MACS has been delaying the start of the scheme, alleged AZSU in a statement today.

To lay down the process of setting up the CCC, a Joint Appraisal Team, which included representatives from NACO, visited the three districts two years back and assessed all the NGOs.

The Joint Appraisal Team included North East Regional Co-ordinator of NACO, Dr Rabei (Convenor), Deputy Director of MACS (CST) Dr Ng Hemanta (Member), Deputy Director of MACS (ICTC) Dr Ak Khamba (Member) and Dr Kokildro from the Department of Microbiology of JN Hospital, said AZSU.

Earlier, a team from MACS had also visited the three districts and assessed the NGOs for setting up the CCC, said AZSU and added that for one reason or the other the scheme was stalled.

According to the terms and reference, the Joint Appraisal Team is to recommend the NGOs to the Executive Committee of MACS, which will announce the final selection.

Since MACS wilfully stalled the setting up of the CCC, violation of the terms and reference of the JAT, a memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister by the AZSU, said the statement.

Following this, the Chief Minister had instructed MACS to announce the final selection within this month so that the selected NGOs can start implementing the scheme.

However, MACS is yet to announce the final selection, said AZSU and added that this has inconvenienced the HIV/AIDS infected people in the said three districts.

It also amounts to discriminating against the people of these districts.

Asserting that AZSU cannot remain quiet in the face of such indifference, the student body said that to ensure that the rights of the hill people are not violated, it has decided to file a case against MACS in the Gauhati High Court.

Comment