CHURACHANDPUR, December 1: The Churachandpur District AIDS Prevention and Control Committee and the Churachandpur District Legal Service Authority organised a district level 28th World AIDS Day observation today at the Conference Hall of the district CMO under the theme “Getting to Zero”.
Although the attended by the DC and the chairman of the DAPCC, Churachandpur Lunminthang Haokip, the DC couldn’t make it due to some emergency in Imphal.
The function was attended by one of the DC’s staff Alfred J Khaute (MCS) along with CMO and deputy chairman of the committee Dr Thangchinkhup Guite, Dr Lamkhanpau and his colleagues from legal service and others including District Supply Officer, District Social Welfare Officer and representatives of NGOs.
The observation, which is an annual event, was a low key affair this time due to the present situation in the district.
Khaute talked about supporting the people living with AIDS and said the theme “Getting to Zero” can be achieved only with a collective effort from the government, NGO and the public.
Delivering the key note address, Dr Guite talked about the steps taken up in the district and compared the statistics of the district with others available from the World Health Organisation.
He further elaborated on the significance of the three zeroes namely Zero Infection, zero Fatality and Zero Discrimination.
He said out of more than 80 thousand tested in the district since the later part of 2009, only 3780 have been tested positive in the district till date.
He said according to statistics available from the WHO, since 2009 three has been a 35 percent drop in HIV detection and there are approximately 34 million people living with AIDS.
He said we are thankful to the district administration for complying with the request which resulted in the provision of job cards, MGNREGS to 127 PLWHIV coupled with 356 PLWHIV being provided their needs by the District Supply department, while 32 widow living with HIV are given widow pension by the DSW.
He continued that the merit scholarship of seven students and educational supports to 24 others to PLWAIDS and their families were also granted by the New Life ministry.
SAHLOM which is spearheading the fight against HIV/AIDS also elaborated on how to safeguard the baby of parents living with HIV/AIDS.
The co-sponsor of the event, DLSA led by CJM T Lamkhanpau and his team also talked about the legal aspect which a PLWHIV should be aware of.