The Shillong Times - Established 1945
SHILLONG, Aug 19: The Meghalaya Users Forum Shillong (MUFS) has raised alarm over targeted intervention clients having little or no access to needle syringes at Drop in Centres (DICs) and has sought the intervention of the Project Director Meghalaya Aids Control Society (MACS) in the matter. Targeted Interventions (TIs) is a means of implementing HIV prevention and care programmes. Stating that the injecting drug community is unable to avail clean needle syringe, hence putting them at exposed levels of danger of contracting HIV and other BBVs, president of the forum, Neil Jaitly Khongwir, said. “We look at this with utmost dismay as to why the right to health and safety of people who inject drugs are not being insured,” he added. “This dangerous trend needs immediate attention as soon as possible as it may lead to huge rise of new infections.” Khongwir questioned, “The TI clients have little or no access to needle syringe even at DIC levels even though ample stock is present at these centres. Also, peer educators are being told to distribute only 1-2 needle syringes. Why?” “Are we encouraging the spread of HIV or trying to prevent it? Your immediate attention is requested in this regard,” the forum president said in the letter to the MACS project director. It may be mentioned that In India, harm reduction strategies have generally meant helping people who inject drugs (PWID) reduce the adverse effects of their injecting practices – notably the risk of HIV infection. Under the National AIDS Control Programme, preventing HIV among PWID is accomplished by delivering a package of services to them that include, access to clean needles and syringes (Needle Syringe Exchange Programmes, or NSEP), Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST), peer-education for adopting safer behaviours, primary medical care and referral for other healthcare needs. This package of interventions, collectively called Targeted Interventions, is typically delivered by NGOs working with PWIDs.
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