A launching cum awareness programme on Gender-Based Violence and Medico Legal Care for Survivors, Victims of Sexual Violence organised by the Directorate of Family Welfare Services, Manipur and Stars Health Society, Manipur was launched by Health Minister Sapam Ranjan on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Health Minister Sapam Ranjan said that the role of health sector plays a dual role in strengthening legal framework, developing comprehensive and multi-sectoral strategies for preventing and eliminating all forms of sexual violence. Health professionals also play a critical role in their interface with police and other stakeholders. Inter-sectoral collaboration is essential to provide services and deliver justice to sexual violence survivors, he added.
Taking advantage of the programme, the health minister appealed to all doctors to prescribe generic medicines in the interest of people who cannot afford to buy high priced medicines.
He also highlighted the government’s role in eliminating hardships faced by the people in affording treatment.
Health and family welfare commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jha informed that the committee formed by the Supreme Court of India to look after the unrest in Manipur has also sought after the cases of sexual violence and psychological trauma due to crisis.
He stressed on the importance of organising district level awareness programmes in connection with gender based violence. Social Welfare director Ng Uttam highlighted the adverse effects of sexual related violence against women, transgender, children and their related acts.
He also described the approach of helping sexual violence survivors. He maintained the importance of health professionals while assisting the survivors, stressing that the denial of treatment of survivors is punishable.
“Health professionals should ensure that they are not biased against people belonging to marginalised groups and must offer complete medical treatment and health care to them,” Uttam said.
Uttam also advised to take support from the Social Welfare department while handling the survivors if the case is highly sensitive.
