IMPHAL, Aug 8 � Demanding re-investigation into the death of a drug user following an unwanted incident in a rehabilitation centre, a silent rally was staged in Churachandpur district headquarter in Manipur today.
The rallyists mostly drug users also submitted a memorandum to the State Government. The rally was organised by the Community Network for Empowerment(CoNE) � a State level network of organisations of drug users.
Drug users in Manipur today demanded that detoxification and rehabilitation centres strictly adhere to minimum standards of services laid down by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE).
Meanwhile, the civil society organisations, HIV positive networks, and NGOs in Ukhrul on Sunday condemned discrimination of HIV positive people by health care providers.
Representatives of the Indigenous Mothers Association, Ukhrul District NGOs Alliance on Health, Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong, Doulos, Kamphasom Youth Organisation, Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), and Ukhrul Network of Positive People (UNP+) made this demand at a press briefing at Ukhrul.
A functionary of UNP+ said that that the death of one Themngam, a HIV positive patient who died in Ukhrul District hospital was not the first case of a person with HIV/AIDS who died. �We expect the health care providers to be aware and sensitive to the issue�, he said. �Not everyone can afford to go to Imphal to consult an ART doctor or get their CD4 tested�.
Ukhrul district hospital is yet to have a ART doctor after the last doctor left the job on February 27 last.
The CD4 machine remains idle after the lab technician left on January 25 last. The last CD4 test was done on January 24.
