Our Correspondent
Imphal, Sep. 4 (EMN): In a move to sensitise media persons to get a good grasp of new issues relating to HIV/AIDS, a one-day media sensitisation programme on ‘Newly adopted HIV/AIDS (Prevention & Control) Act 2017’ was held at Shalom Lodge hall in Ukhrul town on September 3.
Among others, the programme was attended by Khelen Thokchom Trust (KTT) advisor, Irengbam Arun, district AIDS control officer, Dr. Yuithingla Vashum, assistant director IEC & mainstreaming, Phanjoubam Lanngamba, IEC & mainstreaming, Omajit Leishangthem and state targeted intervention (TI) coordinator, Ksh Deepak of Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MSACS).
The sensitisation programme was organised by the KTT with the support of MSACS.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Yuithingla said currently Ukhrul district has 1786 people living with HIV/AIDS out of which 1250 are taking ART. Advisor, KTT, Irengbam Arun said organising the capacity building programme for journalists in various corners of the state is a kind of tribute to late Khelen Thokchom, a journalist who once wrote for The Telegraph.
State coordinator of targeted interventions programme, MSACS, Kh Deepak, said nine out of 16 districts of Manipur are “high category districts” while the remaining seven districts fall into the moderate category.
“This trend shows that HIV/AIDS is still a concern for the border state,” Deepak said.
He said presently 54 NGOs are taking up TI programmes through 63 integrated council and testing centres, 59 opioid substitution therapy centres and 13 antiretroviral therapy centres across the state.
Most of the speakers in the day’s discussion said the sensitization programme is held to give awareness to media persons in different parts of the state on how to write factually correct news on various sensitive issues including the HIV/AIDS related ones.
Secretary of KTT also highlighted the roles of the media persons based in Ukhrul in disseminating information. Reporters, correspondents, sub-editors and editors of various media houses based in Ukhrul attended the workshop.