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Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 23 (EMN): Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) on Friday felicitated Dr. Vinito L Chishi, a retired government servant and state’s co-ordinator of the Legislators’ Forum on AIDS (LFA) on completion of his tenure.
Chishi has served as the LFA state co-ordinator from 2008 to 2020.
LFA was constituted in the state in 2007 with an aim to combat HIV/AIDS infection which poses a threat to the Indian sub-continent with the prevalence rate of 2.00% from 2005-2007.
However, the forum was disbanded in June this year. An MoU was signed between LFA and Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and Nagaland Development Outreach (NDO) last year wherein it was decided that NBCC and NDO would continue to organise HIV/AIDS awareness programmes through the churches.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA Chotisuh Sazo gave an account of the genesis of LFA which began functioning effectively from 2007 with the initiation of United Nations on AIDS (Unaids) where Chishi was appointed as the state’s co-ordinator along with one administrative assistant. He informed that the aim and objective of the LFA was to eradicate HIV/AIDS, which was an agenda not only for India but also for the whole world.
“It was both a commitment and demand to streamline the foundation that failure to tackle the HIV/AIDS would result in catastrophic harm to the social fabric of the country and further result in huge social and economic cause to the country,” he said.
The former NLA speaker stated that in addition to the Unaids fund, the contribution of INR one lakh each from all the 60 MLAs through the local area development funds made it possible to carry out the activities against the prevention of the infection.
He said that many legislators gained experience in attending international conferences on HIV/AIDS in countries like Denmark, Switzerland and Dubai. He appreciated Chishi and his supporting staff for carrying out various activities successfully and also thanked the state chief minister, NBCC, Nagaland Christian Revival Church (NCRC), Nagaland Catholic Association (CAN), NDO, bureaucrats under the chief secretary, project director of Nagaland State Aids Control Society (NSACS) and its staff, all legislators, assembly officials and staff for their contributions towards the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Amid the prevalence of dreaded diseases like HIV/AIDS and Covid-19, he also reminded the need to learn and live with the epidemic and pandemic. He, therefore, advised the people to stay alert, aware, safe and to take care of oneself.
Neiba Kronu, minister for Planning and Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs, said the "meritorious services" done by Chishi and his team had not only created awareness on HIV/AIDS but also brought many people closer, including the state legislators. He stressed on the need to sensitise people not only on HIV/AIDS but also on environment protection and the need to reach out to needy people and orphans.
Kronu also stressed on the need to give attention to Ex-Parliamentarian Association of Nagaland (Ex-Pan), saying that there are some former parliamentarians who could hardly afford to go outside for their treatment.
"We have to earmark some fund for them," he said, adding that funds should be channelised properly so that people benefit from it.
NLA speaker Sharingain Longkumer shared that the government of India in partnership with National Aids Control Organisation (NACO) has formed the Forum of Parliamentarians on AIDS (FPA) at the centre with its headquarters in New Delhi.
He stated that with the contributions made by LFA to the state of Nagaland with the involvement of each elected member in the fight against HIV/AIDS through various advocacy meetings and trainings, it could reach out to the infected and affected individuals needing support, care and treatment.
As LFA would be discontinued, he said that they have prepared various materials that would provide guidance and insight to the people taking up the responsibility.
Longkumer attributed the achievement towards the social cause with the dedication and commitment of Chishi and his supporting staff for “making our mission, vision and values came true thus far”.
In his short speech, Chishi, who is also a recipient of Governor’s Award, requested LFA to support and advocate HIV/AIDS programme in Nagaland as a continuous process through Christian tribal associations to reach out to grassroots.
NLA commissioner and secretary, Dr. PJ Anthony, read out the citation for Chishi as the outgoing doctor was felicitated with gifts and citation by the legislators.