Manipur: HIV infection rate shoots up to 31, 972

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31,972 in state officially live with HIV/AIDS

The Imphal Free Press, Tue, 1st Sep 2009

http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline & newsid=48792 & typeid=1

IMPHAL, Aug 30: The number of persons infected by the deadly HIV/AIDS virus in

the state have reached to 31,972 as per the official records maintained till

date.

The confirmation of increasing HIV/AIDS infected persons in the state have been

made from the screening of blood samples collected from 3,10,527 since September

1986 till March this year.

Out of 31,972 infected persons a total of 8,053 are female. Death of 625 person

has also been recorded during the period according S.K Vector consultant, Civil

Society and Mainstreaming, Manipur Aids Control Society (MACS) during a seminar

cum training on scheduled caste and scheduled tribes (Prevention of

Atrocities)Act 1989 held at United Baptist Church, community hall Tamenglong HQ,

while making an MS PowerPoint presentation as resource person on topic " Role of

Community Leaders in Combating the Spread of HIV/AIDs in Manipur " .

SK Vector, further said Manipur is today has highest in HIV/AIDs ratio against

total population with 1.3 percent. This is subtantially higher than any other

state of the India.

He said in neighboring countries of Myanmar the prevalence ratio of HIV/AIDs is

1.3, in Combodia-1.6, China-0.1 and in Thailand-1.4.

He further mentioned that among the five hill districts of Manipur, Ukhrul has

the highest ratio of HIV/AIDs infection with 15 percent and the lowest is the

Tamenglong district with only 1.9 percent.

Further he also said that in Ukhrul district out of 10901 persons blood tested

1661 were found infected, in Chandel district out of 7637 persons tested 1137

were infected, in Churachandpur district out of 16835 tested 1901 were infected,

in Senapati district out of 15166 tested 1083 were infected and in Tamenglong

district out of 6800 persons blood were tested 127 were infected by the HIV/AIDs

added.

He also revealed that the cause of the HIV/AIDs is closely related with the

poverty in the hill areas, and also said that MACS alone cannot fight this

pandemic in the state. " We need a joint teams in combating the spread of

HIV/AIDs in state. The role of the community leaders, social organization

leaders, students body leaders and specially the Church leaders participation

are greatly needed " he added.

The seminar was inaugurated by the TD minister DD.Thaisii and presided by the

local MLA K.Panmei.

Speaking at the seminar joint director TRI, K Daimai called for providing more

effective protection to the member of on scheduled caste and scheduled tribes.

This " Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)Act 1989 "

was passed after the existing laws like the Protection of Civil Rights Act,1955

and the normal provisions of Indian Penal Code and other preventive measures

have been found inadequate to check the crimes committed against the tribals by

non-tribals.

Further he said that to educate and make the people aware of the right and

privileges and preventive measures given under the Act, this kind of trainning

cum seminar is being conducted by the Tribal Research Institute, Manipur.

The seminar has covered all the five hill district headquaters of the Manipur as

the education component and capacity building on issues of rights and privileges

guaranteed under the Constitution(Laws) for the under privileged section of the

society (STs) is one of the important activities of the Institute.

During the seminar resource persons Saikhom Olendro Singh, advocate also present

ed paper on " Concept and Objectives of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities)Act

1989 " , and K.Sani Mao SE/PWD also presented an MS PowerPoint deliverance on

" Atrocities in the Forms of Violation of Reservation Rules in Post and Service

for Scheduled Tribes etc " .