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Arunachal should take collective responsibility: Singpho

Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR July 18: HIV/AIDS epidemic is not the responsibility of health department or the state government alone but the responsibility of every Arunachalee said Health and Family Welfare minister C C Singpho while speaking as the chief guest at the one day state level advocacy workshop for media people on ‘Role of media people in addressing HIV/AIDS in Arunachal Pradesh’.

Every one of us should work towards stopping the further spread of the epidemic in the state, he added.

Singpho further urged upon the people living with HIV/AIDS to come forward so that Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society (APSACS) and the people can help them fight deal with the epidemic in particular and others as well.

Both APSACS and media needs to work together to prevent and spread awareness on HIV/AIDS epidemic in Arunachal Pradesh Singpho further said.

The state chief minister, his cabinet ministers and MLAs have shouldered the responsibility to spread awareness on HIV/AIDS amongst the people of the state, the health minister added.

He also called upon APSACS to organize more advocacy programmes in the colleges and university.

The programme should also be organized at places where the HIV/AIDS prevalence is high, he added.

He also called on free supply of condoms in all pharmacies, hotels and shops to spread HIV/AIDS epidemic. Health Commissioner cum APSACS chairman Anshu Prakash said that all should join hands with the media for providing a better life to AIDS affected people while adding that it will go a long way in curbing the spread of the epidemic.

“With the world becoming a global village, no country or state can be isolated in terms of the menace. We must nip the problem at the bud,” he opined.

There are many routes which go on way to affect people with AIDS, he said. With proper treatment, the quality of life of an AIDS affected people can be improved, he added. The Commissioner also stressed on warding off the stigma attached with the killer disease.

Pitching against unprotected sex and drugs, he said, keep away from unprotected sex and drugs. In this regard, he urged upon the media to go hand in hand with the government to spread the message.

We should adopt softer stand towards people affected with HIV / AIDS epidemic said NACO, NERO Guwahati team leader Dr Rochna Mitra and added that media has a vital role to evaluate the negative aspect concerning them.

We should not allow Arunachal Pradesh go in the direction of Nagaland and Manipur, the two high prevalent states in the North East. She further spoke on bringing a change in the attitude towards drug users and sex workers.

On increasing the number on HIV testing Dr Mishra said that discrimination is the reason coming in the way of less number of tests.

She further urged APSACS to provide media with access to information to help spread the message on the way to curb the menace so that Arunachal Pradesh does not become a high prevalent state.

Manipur Network of Positive Movement (MNPM) chairperson L Rinarshi Chanu gave a perspective of people living with HIV/AIDS.

She informed the house that MNP+ is a sole network establish in 1997 by 5 IDU initiated as self help group. The organization has become a full fledged state level network for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA).

The slogan for MNP+ is ‘nothing about us without us’, Chanu said. This organization believes that PLHA are the solution in addressing the AIDS epidemic.

The group intends to overcome the constraint and limitation faced by the infected and affected people with HIV/AIDS for overall improvement in their lives in particular and the society at large.

She emphasized on the need to reduce stigma and discrimination on PLHA through capacity building. Chanu called for introduction of user friendly care, support, community sensitization, mobilization and advocacy.

She further stated that people living with HIV/AIDS have the right to enjoy equal rights and dignity.

She called upon the media to be more sensitive while reporting on HIV/AIDS epidemic as media’s insensitivity can lead to increase in the degree of stigma and discrimination on PLHA.

Many PLHAs have had bad encounter with journalist in media interaction in the past as they have been misquoted and their request for confidentiality ignored.

Living with the HIV/AIDS infection is an every day fight for PLHAs and media needs to understand this factor and take them as just another story.

Only media besides NGOs and government agencies can successfully sensitise the community/ public opinion at large on HIV/AIDS epidemic, Chanu further said.

Media coverage does make a difference to the way people perceive HIV/AIDS, the chairperson said and added that media advocacy is an essential working tool of public health and basic human rights of PLHA.

The news media can set the public and political agenda as more the issue is reported in news, more people are concerned about it, she said.

To ensure that PLHA concerns are incorporated in state policies, all advocacy plans need to have integrated media components, she further added.

APSACS Project Director Dr E Rumi said that total HIV positive recorded in Arunachal Pradesh as on June 2009 is 143 with Papum Pare leading the number with 85 HIV positives.

Lohit with 27 HIV positives takes the second place followed by Changlang with 9 HIV positives. Dibang Valley, Tirap and Lower Subansiri record the lowest with 1 HIV positive each.

He said that the total number of AIDS cases in the state is 43 with total of 8 deaths (7 males and 1 female).

Turba Daleh Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd chairman Taba Hare said that spreading awareness amongst the people can be done through the media however the practical work can only be carried out by NGOs apart from government agencies.

He informed that his society is implementing targeted Intervention Project (TIP) with female sex workers at Naharlagun, Nirjuli, Doimukh, Banderdewa, Ziro and Hapoli. It is also implementing TIP with migrant labourers in the state capital complex.

Hare also citited challenges and problems faced by workers in the field while dealing with HIV/AIDS affected persons.

He urged APSACS to give more focus on NGOs working with HIV/AIDS affected persons and provide them with better training and understanding to deal with the epidemic.

Dr Pankaj Sharma, Manager Finance, Adm, NACO, NERO informed that the central government has given 15% increase in funds to the state of Arunachal Pradesh to develop new infrastructures keeping in mind the vulnerability of the state.

He further said that this finance year the central government is providing money just for monitoring, supervision and implementation to states having high prevalence of HIV/AIDS as funds had already be provided for infrastructure earlier.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the voices on HIV/AIDS epidemic is coming from people who are not infected by the epidemic, Surjakanta of Manipur working with UNDP pointed out.

Manipur, Nagaland and other states across the country, it is the affected people who voice their concern and the epidemic can be fought and won only when PLHA take a stand in the state.

The society at large should be supportive and understanding that no stigma or discrimination takes place against PLHA, he added.

The workshop aimed to sensitize media on HIV/AIDS issue and to disseminate message on HIV/AIDS to the general population was being organized by Arunachal Pradesh State AIDS Control Society at conference hall, Hotel Donyi Polo Ashoka today.

The workshop also aimed at sensitive reporting on HIV/AIDS by the media people so that general public changes their perception towards the epidemic.

DDSEs transfer opposed

ITANAGAR, Jul 18: Chairperson, Zila Parishad and ZPMs of East Siang in a letter to Minister, Education said DDSE, East Siang District Marken Kadu is rendering his services with sincerity and dedication since his joining. Within a short span of time he has toured and inspected almost all schools of East Siang District and trying his best to ensure quality education in the schools and under his leadership SSA/MDM is being implemented up to the satisfaction of the people.

It appealed the Minister not to transfer Kadu from Pasighat and allow him to complete his three years tenure as DDSE, Pasighat.

Committee development meeting

ITANAGAR, Jul 18: Kulma Yogin Welfare Committee (KYWC), Nirjuli conducted its developmental meeting at Nirjuli on July 11 last.

In the meeting the house resolved to close down the present Quarry Operation at Kulna stream, upper side of the Bridge immediately.

The proposed land for shifting of village which was occupied and cleared by last executive committee shall be treated as common property of the Kulma-Yogin Welfare Committee while it also decided to collect a reasonable amount from each individual of the area for issuing of photo identity card for identification of each member of the sector.

Meanwhile, the house selected its new committee with NR Tam, Nabam Sonu and Nabam Rajen as Chairman, Vice Chairman and General Secretary respectively.

Medical team requested

ITANAGAR, Jul 18: All Tali Area Students’ Union in a letter to MLA, Tali Assembly Constituency said the area is “facing a type of epidemic” since three months.

It appealed the MLA to look in to the grievances and initiate immediate steps to send medical team with medicines.

East Siang battles drought like situation

O. Pertin

PASIGHAT, July 18: Like rest of the country, East Siang is battling lesser rainfall. The insufficient rainfall has brought in many miseries to the farmers of the district. Many fields have been abandoned for want of rainfall.

East Siang district one of the rice bowls of the state is battling drought like situation. Out of targeted 13254 hectares for cultivation this year only 2650 hectares could be utilised. Almost all the rainfed irrigation channels leading to the paddy fields have dried up due to insufficient rainfall.

Farmers are approaching the department of Agriculture for subsidized pumping sets, but only 12 numbers could be allotted during this season, informed the District Agriculture Officer of the district.

To deal with the present situation, Paddy De-husking Machine (PDMs) could be purchased and distributed accordingly in place of pump-sets to the needy farmers to mitigate the alarming situation to some extent.

The local authority also apprised that in order to compensate the failure of paddy crop, a ‘Contingency Food Production Programme’ would also be taken up and Blackgram, Greengram and Sesamum would be provided as alternative crops. (DIPRO)

English-Nyishi dictionary released

NIRJULI, July 18: The first English-Nyishi dictionary, compiled by Tar Choya, was released by NERIST Director Dr Joram Begi at a function in Nyikum Niya Hall here today.

Highlighting the problems being faced by the Nyishis in developing their language, Dr Begi praised Choya for his endeavour and advocated that development of the Nyishi language should be given priority and everyone should work for its preservation and protection.

Dr Begi also spoke about the Christian missionaries’ contribution in the development of English education in the North East, saying they played a great role in spreading modern education and literature among the region’s people. It greatly benefited Arunachal Pradesh ever since the time John Firth School was established in Sadiya in Assam, he said.

An individual finds it difficult to do anything properly alone and organizational support should be provided to one who does something for the society, Dr Begi said.

Choya informed that he had begun working on the book since 2003. To this end, he visited all the Nyishi inhabited areas in the state.

The most difficult part for him was to get resource persons to help him collect the original and exact words for the dictionary. Many resource persons showed initial reluctance to help him, until he made his motive clear to them, he said.

Choya said he will continue to improve and refine the dictionary. His next step, he disclosed, will be to compile a Nyishi-English dictionary.

Rev Likha Ama thanked the people involved in the compilation of the dictionary and called it a beginning in developing the Nyishi language, while programme coordinator Techi James said that the dictionary would be helpful to those who want to know and lean the Nyishi language.

The dictionary, priced at an affordable Rs 100, is available for sale in bookstalls.

DC calls for optimum Utilization of Rogi Kalyan Samiti fund

Changlang, July 18: 3rd Governing Body meeting of District Health Society, Changlang (AP) was held under the chairmanship of The Changlang Deputy Commissioner Dr S B Deepak Kumar, IAS.

Kumar urged the Society to utilize the Rogi Kalyan Samiti fund for optimum benefit of the general public. He appealed for timely completion of the activities undertaken under the fund.

The District Medical Officer Cum CEO (Governing Body) District Health Society, Changlang Dr Pramathesh De proposed to connect seven numbers of health institution under RKS Fund at CHC Bordumsa, CHC Jairampur, PHC Innao, PHC Kharsang, PHC Namtok, PHC Khimiyong, HSC Manmao with telephone for smooth functioning of Rogi Kalyan Samiti(RKS).

The works of Repair & maintenance of Vehicle Provided from DOTC, NRHM, BADP & Other sources except department of H & FW will also be undertaken from the fund, he added. He further proposed for provision of Referral transport service to pregnant women and children below 5 years age during emergencies.

Dr De proposed that a dental doctor, a Homeopathic & Ayurvedic at CHC Jairampur, One Surgeon, One Gynecologist, One Pediatrician and One Anesthetist for DH Changlang to First Referral Units (FRUs), Operationalization of 24 X 7 hours PHCs to provide 24 hours services at Nampong PHC and Kharsang PHCs, an Ayurvedic each at DH Changlang, PHC Diyun and CHC Bordumsa subject to the approval.

Under AOP Dr De proposed for establishment of Sub-Centre in Rangfra Govt college campus, Blupather under Diyun PHC, Modoi under Innao PHC, New Jukhi under Mammao circle, Rangringkan under Changlang division and upgradation of Diyun PHC to CHC & Manmao health Sub-centre to PHC. He further informed that out of proposed recruitment of two doctors (Allopahtic) one has already been sanctioned and the recruitment will be done by the Society. District Financial Management Group (DFMG) will be formed in the District Programme Management Unit (DPMU) to handle the integrated finance, accounts and audit of all vertical programmes under NRHM at the district level) he further informed.

Dr Parthasarathy Dutta DRCHO-cum-Member Governing Body, District Health Society, Changlang presented NRHM activities and the Achievements during the year 2008-08. He also presented the civil works under process under National Rural health Mission. (DIPRO/ic)

More than 4000 students screened

Changlang, July 18: A meeting amongst the member of District Blindness control Society’ (DBCS) under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Changlang was held here at changlang today.

Deputy Commissioner cum Chairman, DBCS, Changlang urged the members to give every effort to prevent blindness in children.

Dr P De, District Medical Officer, Changlang while presenting performance report of DBCS Changlang during the year 2007-08 informed the house that programmes were organized to promote the importance of eye care among the communities. About 17 doctors from various places of Changlang district were imparted training. The total number of 4145 students from various schools in Changlang district was examined under the eye screening programme performed in changlang district. Cataract surgery camps were also organized at Diyun PHC and Bordumsa CHC under which the total number of 1226 villagers were screened, Refraction found 416 numbers and cataract surgery done 188 numbers. A vision center was also established at Bordumsa CHC this year which was provided by the equipments like Refraction and prescription of glasses, primary eye care and screening and referral services, he added. (DIPRO/ic)

Composite Carp Farming for Income Generation in Hill Region

DIRANG, July 18: Under the auspices of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Arunachal Pradesh Regional Office, Itanagar, the Dirang based Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh organized a training cum demonstration programme on “Composite Carp Farming for Income Generation in Hill Region” on July 16-18 at the premises of National Research Centre on Yak (ICAR), Dirang. The trainings were aimed to create knowledge and develop skill on recent advances in scientific production of fish among rural mass of this district for income generation and socio-economic development. Altogether 20 participants from different villages were trained during the programme.

Welcoming the participants and dignitaries, Dr. N.D. Singh, Programme Coordinator, KVK, elaborated the aims and objectives of the Kendra in developing the socio-economic scenario of the district through adoption of various activities in agriculture and allied areas by rural farmers on scientific lines. He also ascertained that all the said mandates of the KVK are being properly fulfilled for the progress of the farmers since its inception.

Deepjyoti Baruah, Coordinator and Organizer of the programme introduced and felicitated the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour and other dignitaries of the inaugural session in the programme. While delivering his address Baruah stated that Pisciculture is a potential activity and can generate income if the fish farmers and unemployed rural youth dedicate themselves to scientific fish cultivation.

Inaugurating the training programme as the Chief Guest Lobsang Wangchu Bapu I/c Additional Deputy Commissioner Dirang West Kameng urged the trainees to acquire and to explore adequate scientific methods and techniques for successfully establishing agricultural based small scale industries aiming to boost rural economy as a whole.

Dr. M.K. Ghosh, Senior Scientist and In-charge Director of NRCY, Dirang speaking as the Guest of Honour appealed to all the participating farmers to take up fish culture in a more productive way so as to fulfill the requirements of the state. He also welcomed all the participatory farmers to visit NRCY and take the benefit of their ongoing activities.

A. Kumar, Commandant, 34th BN, SSB, Dirang in his speech as the other Guest of Honour encouraged the farmers to avail the multidisciplinary approaches provided by the KVK for their betterment

On the occasion, O. Mize, District Fishery Development Officer, Bomdila deliberated on the accessibility of fish seeds, fish feeds, fertilizers etc. from the Government farm and nurseries to the developing farmers in remote areas of the district lacking transportation and communication facilities.

R. Dutta, Subject-Matter Specialist (Fisheries), KVK, Tirap District, Deomali, attending the programme as a Resource Person pointed out on the need of the farmers for diversification of their traditional fish cultivation to integrated fish farming with lesser risk in augmenting the existing status of household income. S. Jadhav, Assistant General Manager, NABARD, Itanagar besides pledging all possible help to the local farmers appealed to fish farmers to make the best use of vast water resources available in the district for the development of the fisheries. He stated that with the establishment of the KVK, it has become easier for the department to reach farmers up to the remotest areas and get their feedbacks. He also emphasized on proper utilization of bank loan for socio-economic development of the area.

P. K. Kalita, Branch Manager, State Bank of India, Dirang Branch while attending the programme as Guest of Honour during the valedictory session, called upon the participants to recast their old traditional approach of farming and advised them to take up scientific methods for successful implementation of the projects and repay the bank loans properly.

The training programmes consisted of lecture classes in the forenoon, followed by practical demonstration session in the afternoon. Video graphic presentations were made on various aspects based on the topics. In the technical sessions, the queries made by the farmers, curiosities shown by them, doubt expressed and knowledge-attitude and skilled gaps interwoven in farmers were resolved by the appropriate and unbiased technological remarks of the experts of the KVK and personnel from the line departments of the district. The trainees were taken to the fisheries unit of progressive farmers for demonstration. The farmers shared their experiences and difficulties in taking fish farming as a true vocation for their livelihood. The demonstration programmes included the feeding techniques, adequate application of lime and manures, fish seed stocking methodology, water quality management, hygiene maintenance, lighting schedule and brooders management in poultry, preparation of paddy plots, brood stock and hatchery management in trout farming.

CME on maternal & infant nutrition

ITANAGAR: Heema Multi-specialty Hospital, Itanagar in collaboration with Nestle India Ltd conducted CME on Maternal and Infant Nutrition at Seminar Hall, Heema Hospital today.

CMD, Heema Hospital Dr. B Rana appreciated the Nestle Company for sponsoring the programme.

Gynaecologist Dr. S Ahmed and Child Specialist Dr, Y Ali also spoke on the occasion.

Four members for Chess C’ship

ITANAGAR: All Arunachal Pradesh Chess Association (AAPCA) has selected Hina Nabam Mavan, Raluk Dui, Mikbon Doke and Santosh Giri to represent Arunachal Pradesh in the 47 National ‘B’ Chess Championship to be held at Eden Garden Kolkata from August 12-24 next.

It thanked Sports Authority of Arunachal Pradesh for financial help to organize the Championship tour.

Awareness prog on total solar eclipse

ITANAGAR: Arunachal Pradesh Council for Science & Technology is organizing an Orientation cum Awareness programme on ‘Total Solar Eclipse and its related phenomena” for students and teachers at Arunachal Pradesh Science Centre, I. G. Park here on July 20 from 10 am onwards. The main focus of the programme is to enforce and inculcate scientific temper regarding myths and facts of Total Solar Eclipse (TSE) and how to view the TSE safely, according to an official release.