Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday stated that seizing drugs and destroying poppy plantations alone won’t help solve the issue of drugs in the state but that there is a need for rehabilitation programmes for drug addicts to fight against drugs.
Flagging off six Mobile Integrated Counseling & Testing Centre (ICTC) vans from the western gate of the chief minister’s secretariat, the CM said that there has been a decline in the HIV prevalence. However, there is still a need for proper treatment of the infected persons, he added.
He further said that the six vans had been procured by Manipur Aids Control Society (MACS) through Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
CM Biren said that mobile vans will also be provided for other hill districts but that smaller vans would be used considering the narrow roads.
He appealed to the public to stay away from drugs as it affects lives in many ways.
The six Mobile ICTC Vans will be operated in four valley districts namely, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur and Thoubal and two hill districts of Churachandpur and Senapati.
The flagged off was attended by health minister Sapam Ranjan; project director of MACS, Haobam Rosita and other officials of MACS.
It may be noted that the government of India is currently implementing phase - V of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (NACP) as a fully funded central sector scheme for the period April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026.
At the national level, estimated adult HIV prevalence (15-49 years) has declined since the epidemic's peak in 2000 where prevalence was estimated at 0.55 per cent in 2000, through to 0.32 per cent in 2010, and 0.21 per cent in 2021.
For Manipur, though there has been a decline in the estimated adult HIV prevalence in the past 10 years from 1.99 per cent in 2010 to 1.05 per cent in 2021, HIV/AIDS epidemic in Manipur still continues to be a public health challenge.
Manipur, with an Adult (15-49 yrs) HIV Prevalence (per cent) of 1.05 per cent, now stands at third position next to Nagaland (1.36 per cent) and Mizoram (2.70 per cent). The estimated number of People living with HIV in Manipur is 27,989.
NACP Phase-V aims to attain 95-95-95 by 2025. The current status of 95-95-95 is 58-89-98 as on March, 2023. The full realization of the ambitious target of 95-95-95 will require having around 26,589 PLHIV with known status, 25260 on anti-retroviral treatment. And around 23997 PLHIV with suppressed Viral Load.
"Break the Silos, build Synergies' is a key guiding principle of the NACP-V and the Mobile ICTC will play a key role in bridging the HIV counselling and testing needs across the far flung and unreached population in the state and realizing the first 95 target of the NACP-V.
A mobile ICTC will consist of a van with a room to conduct a general examination and counselling, and a space for the collection and processing of blood samples etc.
A mobile ICTC consisting of a team of paramedical health-care providers (a flexible working hours in hard-to-reach areas, where services are provided ranging from regular health check-up, syndromic treatment for STI reproductive health educator/ANM, counsellor and LT) can set up a temporary clinic with tract infection (RTI) and other minor ailments, antenatal care, immunization, as larger audience and be a more effective preventive intervention by ensuring the well as HIV counselling and testing services. Mobile ICTCs can thus cater to a range of services.
