Phom community sensitised on HIV/AIDS (P&C) Act

DIMAPUR — District Health Society, Longleng, in collaboration with Longleng District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), organised district-level workshop on HIV/AIDS (P&C) Act 2017 with church leaders, members of Phomla Hoichem, youth organizations, students’ union and ward leaders on Thursday in the conference hall of the chief medical officer (CMO) in Longleng town.

The main objective of the workshop was to sensitise the community about the key provisions of HIV/AIDS (P&C) Act 2017, roles and responsibilities of ombudsman and complaint officers.

The resource persons were Kumdilong Kessen, chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary of LDLSA and Monyei, LDLSA panel lawyer, stated an update from the CMO office.

It stated that Kessen spoke on the main objectives and scope of the Act that is to stop stigma and discrimination revolving around HIV and AIDS. According to him, the Act provides equal rights and opportunities to the infected people and to safeguard human rights, legal rights and constitutional rights of the people living with HIV (PLHIV).

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The Act ensures that the identity of person living with HIV would be kept confidential and no person would be compelled to disclose their HIV status or to give out any details related to anyone. It also ensures that atleast one ombudsman would be appointed by every state government to inquire into complaints related to the violation of the Act and provisions of healthcare services.

Besides, the Act prohibits any discrimination or feeling of hatred against PLHIV, prohibits discrimination in public places like hospitals, offices, educational institutions and discrimination while residing or renting property and employment.

He spoke about how the Act prohibits any kind of violence and physical assault or activities to encourage violence towards people living with HIV and how medical institutions are at higher risk for exposure to HIV as it is a blood borne infection. For this reason, he stated that the Act ensures to create a secure and safe workplace to prohibit the spread of HIV infection by ensuring timely provisions of post- exposure prophylaxis, training for caution and complete information to protect oneself form HIV.