AIDS Day and Its Relevance in Manipur (December 3)
by Seram Neken Singh

Manipur has become a red zone on the world AIDS map with the highest HIV sero-positivity rate among the states of India. More than 38,000 people of the state are estimated to be living with HIV. As per official records, Manipur has 12,239 HIV positive cases including 1,609 females and 1,033 AIDS cases reported at the end of October 2001. 

The HIV sero-positivity rate per 1000 blood samples screened is 156.37. At least 193 AIDS deaths have been reported during this period. These are the cases whose blood samples are tested for HIV antibody. Many people in the state are carrying the virus unknowingly and they may be spreading it to others unaware. Many people have died of AIDS undiagnosed and unreported. This is evident
from the appearance of innocent young widows and orphans in each and every locality of Manipur.

HIV sero-prevalence among the Injecting Drug Users, pregnant women and STD patients were 66.02%, 1.07% and 11.76% respectively as per sentinel surveillance reports of last year. All districts of the state have been affected. Imphal East and West combined accounts for 68.84% with 6109
HIV positives. Thoubal and Churachandpur share 9.03% and 8.18% respectively. Tamenglong district has the lowest figure with 21 HIV positives out of 252 blood samples screened. The most affected age group is between 21 and 30 years with 58.45%.

In such a highly terrible scenario, it is time for all to come out, face the reality and fight the epidemic. As part of the worldwide observance of AIDS day on 1st December, functions related to the day were organized in every nook and corner of the state. Besides the Mass rally and state function held in Imphal, every district and sub divisional headquarters observed the day. NGOs, local clubs and voluntary agencies shared the observance at their premises. The people mostly
students and youths, social workers, medical and nursing professionals, NGO workers staged a mass rally from the Manipur College campus to the 1st MR complex in Imphal to demonstrate their commitment in fighting the AIDS epidemic.

HIV/AIDS came to Manipur as late as in 1990 when the first HIV positive case was detected among the injecting drug users who indulged in sharing needles and syringes. During the last one decade, the epidemic grew rapidly causing concern of all sections of the population. Once considered as a disease of the high-risk groups like IDUs, HIV/AIDS began to infect and affect innocent young women and children. More than 1 percent of the pregnant women population of the state is infected.

Since its establishment in 1998, the Manipur State AIDS Control Society has been taking up various projects and programs for prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in the state in collaboration with several governmental and non-governmental agencies. The overall objective is to prevent the virus from entering those who have not been infected, to control the further spread of the virus from those already infected with it, to help HIV infected individuals lead a meaningful and dignified life without discrimination and stigmatization and to take care of AIDS patients. Population with high-risk behavior is covered under target intervention projects while there are programs for the general population with low risk behavior.

Different intervention projects for the Injecting drug Users, Commercial Sex Workers, homosexuals, truck drivers, migrant workers etc. have been taken up by the Manipur State AIDS Control Society. For prevention of HIV transmission from infected mothers to newborn babies, a pilot project on Navirapine administration is going on at J.N. Hospital. Two ten-bedded community care centers for people with AIDS are working at Chingmeirong in Imphal and in Churachandpur. Regarding blood safety measures, three blood banks at RIMS, J.N Hospital and Churachandpur District Hospital have been modernized under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. 100% blood safety is almost achieved in Manipur.

All units of blood are tested for HIV, Hepatitis B & C, Malaria, syphilis and VDRL. Voluntary blood donation camps are organized on special occasions for making easy availability of safe blood for emergency purposes. Three blood banks at Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong are being constructed under World Bank guidelines.

AIDS has been included in the School syllabi for classes VI, VII, VIII and X. Efforts are being made to introduce it in classes XI and XII also. More than 800 schools and around 4500 teachers have been covered in the teachers training on AIDS. 50% of schools will be covered in 2002.

Two HIV antibody-testing centers are presently working in the Department of Microbiology, RIMS and the J.N Hospital, Imphal. Pre-test and post-test counseling are provided at these centers. One counseling Center each with two trained counselors are working at the two testing centers. Some more voluntary counseling and testing centers preferably in all districts are being opened in the near future. A voice response telephone counseling on HIV/AIDS will be opened at the office of the Meetei Leimarol Sinnai Sang shortly to facilitate information seekers who refuse to come directly due to shyness etc.

Various categories of Medical professionals, nursing staff, laboratory technicians, NGO workers, women leaders, anganwadi workers, teachers etc. are trained from time to time on HIV/AIDS and STDs. As part of condom popularization program, various condom outlets are opened at Imphal to distribute condoms to the needy persons. NGOs working under the MACS are also running condom outlets at their offices/drop in centers. Nirodh condoms and Deluxe Nirodh condoms are supplied by National AIDS Control Organization for free distribution and social marketing respectively.

STD prevention helps in the control of HIV transmission because STD patients have 8-10 time more at risk of acquiring HIV. Every year Family Health Awareness Campaigns are organized in the state under NACO. Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Primary Health Centers etc. are providing treatment, education and counseling for prevention of STD, AIDS and HIV to the people during the campaign. Altogether four such campaigns have so far been organized.

For spreading the AIDS prevention messages to the general population, the Manipur State AIDS Control Society is implementing IEC programs like distribution of leaflets and folders, sticking of posters and hoardings and publication of journals and booklets on HIV/AIDS. AIDS messages are imparted through newspapers, cable networks, TV and radio from time to time. Shumang Lila as a popular art form is also utilized as a messenger for AIDS. Besides these, workshops, conferences and awareness sessions for various categories of people are held.

All these projects and programs of the government and non-governmental agencies will not succeed without public support. The prevention and control of AIDS is the responsibility of the people. AIDS is the problem of my family, my relatives, my locality, my friends and myself. It is not a problem for the government and some NGOs only. When people take care for themselves, the AIDS problem can be easily solved. Hence, this year's slogan for World AIDS Day is I care.... Do you?

(Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press)

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