|
HIV/AIDS: Will it manifest in election agendas?
By Chitra Ahanthem
The political scene in the state is beginning to acquire colorful shades of party hopping, ticket tussles and random acts of violence against potential candidates. Though most eyes are focused upon which candidates will get tickets to which political party, there is a cross section of people who are looking forward to certain issues being highlighted in election manifestoes, which will be making their appearances any time now.
The drug and HIV/AIDS field is a long neglected area in any developmental program taken up by the government agencies and more so, by political leaders on the more visible political platform. The only political voices so far, seems to come forth only on specific occasions like the World AIDS Day observation programs.
This writer talked to a wide range of people who has been working in the said field over the past. The following are some of the reactions, suggestions and hopes they have as the poll dates get nearer: According to Annie Mangsatabam, secretary of Integrated Women and Child Development Center (IWCDC), political leaders need to focus on the more vulnerable groups in society - namely, women and children.
Whichever party came to power should place emphasis on taking up HIV/AIDS related issues as another component of developmental work. Manipur Network of Positive people (MNP+), a self-support group of people living with HIV/AIDS feels that it is high time indeed for more political commitment to HIV/AIDS, backed up by advocacy of rights. As for whichever party forms the new government; once installed, it can first go about clearing the confusion over the 8% to 12% sales tax imposed on medicines for Anti- Retroviral (ARV) therapy, which is not levied in other states of the country.
M. Jamuna, Assistant Project Manager of Continuum of Care Project (COCP) says that a subsidy in the rates of ARV therapy is worth a mention in political manifestoes. They could highlight greater advocacy for women and children affected with HIV/AIDS. For H. Dineshwor, Project Manager of KRIPA society, making the existing State policy on AIDS should be the main agenda of all political parties.
To some other NGO workers, election manifestoes today means a waste of time and effort besides being a moot point laced with cynicism since in effect, they remain on paper only. An NGO worker on grounds of anonymity puts it saying, 'What can we expect from any Government? After all, what is HIV/AIDS when compared to the scent of power?
Another, working in a drug de-addiction center feels that political agendas are not worth the paper they are printed on. His logic being that the hype and hoopla over catching young voters will in itself lead to many more young people trying out drugs which makes them all the more vulnerable to drug use and other related harm later on. This takes on a frightening picture seeing that a MACS report released on World AIDS Day, 2001 states that 72.52% of the total positive population of Manipur are youths.
Most NGO workers and staff voiced similar needs - focus on women and children, subsidized rates on medicines for ARV therapy or even medicines for opportunistic infections (fungal infections, herpes etc.). In the process, another common strain reared its head - that the concerned authority in the HIV/AIDS field needs to do much more than funding, conducting training or awareness drives, taking out rallies; that there is an immediate need to focus on care for people living with HIV/AIDS.
L. Birendrajit, Secretary of Social Awareness Service Organization, feels that it would be wrong on the part of the NGO's working in this field to depend on government backing alone just as the Government itself cannot sit back and leave the NGO's in the fray. Though efforts taken up by the government has gone a long way to make some headway in making TB management a possibility in the country, it is still a different picture altogether when the issue is HIV/AIDS, mostly because of moral perceptions associated with it.
Suggestions coming from various NGO workers range from setting up a Resource center which can give the latest up to date information on HIV/AIDS, an honest assessment of the policies and programs already taken up, help from various law enforcement groups to make services for drug users available and accessible at all times and more advocacy on political platforms.
Most striking however, is the fact that even though HIV was first detected in 1989-90, most efforts to improve the situation seems to be much too less. There is an urgent need for the NGO sector and the Government to group together and sort out where we have gone wrong. A strong government backing does make a difference. NGO's too are carrying forth the good work. So long as the larger group ignores the issue though, all efforts will be worthless.
Hopefully, HIV\AIDS will be highlighted in the election manifestoes and followed up by co-operation from all section of the society .The religious heads and organizations could pitch in by sponsoring the education of HIV/AIDS infected /affected children. Law enforcement officials and the media could be sensitized on rights and ethics related to HIV/AIDS.
Less we forget, the more time we let slip by in trying to find out who has to tackle the issue, the more there will be a rise in the number of people affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. Isn't it time then, for all of us to explore different ways to stem the tide.
(Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press)
|
Welcome! 
International
Features
