Graft slur on Nagaland AIDS campaign: Govt suspects misuse of funds

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Graft slur on Nagaland AIDS campaign

- Govt suspects misuse of funds by agencies involved in HIV programmes

OUR CORRESPONDENT

Kohima, June 7: The United Nations may have praised Nagaland for reducing the

number of HIV/AIDS cases in the state, but the government suspects misuse of

funds by various organisations involved in the campaign.

Health and family welfare minister Kuzholuzo Nienu said his department was not

aware how the funds are being used by the organisations working on AIDS, since

the government has no mechanism to check utilisation of money.

Besides, funds reach the organisations directly from the Centre and other

agencies, he said.

The Network of Nagaland Drugs and HIV and AIDS Organisation (N-Naga-DAO), the

apex body of agencies involved is HIV/AIDS campaigns, however, dismissed the

minister's remark.

It said the state government has instituted the Nagaland State AIDS Control

Society as a nodal agency for HIV/AIDS campaigns and all programmes must be

implemented through the society.

Hence, statements of expenditure and activity reports are submitted to the

society every month.

The organisations that submit proposals for projects are also selected by a

joint appraisal team constituted by the government-formed AIDS control society

according to the norms of the National AIDS Control Organisation.

The team forwards its report to the technical support unit of the state AIDS

control society for scrutiny before submitting it to the executive committee for

final approval.

The health minister, who is also convenor of State Legislators' Forum on

HIV/AIDS, however, said the National AIDS Control Organisation directly selects

the NGOs and funds are also directly transferred to them.

The minister's statement came after the Centre blacklisted dozens of NGOs

following reports of funds misuse.

A couple of years back, the Nagaland government also constituted an inquiry

committee to probe into the alleged misuse of funds in implementing programmes

on HIV and AIDS.

Nagaland receives money from various sources, including the Bill Gates

Foundations and other foreign agencies.

Deputy Speaker of Nagaland Assembly, Ralangthung Yangthan, who is also treasurer

of the Legislators' Forum on HIV/AIDS, said Nagaland has the second highest

incidence of the disease in the country. He said the current number of HIV/AIDS

cases in Nagaland was probably higher as many do not want to reveal the truth

for fear of discrimination.

Nagaland, which has around 2 million people, recorded 3,458 cases of HIV.

There have been 486 AIDS-related deaths — 246 men, 191 women and 49 children.

Now, 60 legislators contribute Rs 1 lakh each every year to show a political

will to combat the disease.

The health minister said Rs 60 lakh contributed by the legislators is

judiciously spent in all the constituencies to create awareness among the

people.

Congress MLA and PCC president, I. Imkong, urged the church to participate in

the fight against HIV.

" Elected representatives of the people with funds and power should lead the

fight against the spread of HIV infection, " Yitachu, parliamentary secretary for

tourism and justice and law, said.

Prof. Gilks, UNAIDS Country co-ordinator, India, lauded the Nagaland

legislators for mobilising resources from their local area development fund to

help AIDS campaigns.

He said unlike other states, Nagaland is making a difference in the fight

against HIV, but added that there was still a long way to go.

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