With the ever increasing rate of HIV infection and the need to spread awareness to the high risk groups, today the role of uniformed personnel is not limited to law and order problem.
Uniformed personnel who have invariable contact with Most at Risk Population (MaRP) including Commercial Sex Workers (CSWs), Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) and migrants have critical role to play in preventing the spread of HIV & AIDS by providing correct and concise information including services available to the risk group.
Uniformed personnel and women in particular are also vulnerable of contracting HIV & AIDS due to stress, work pressure, residing away from home or family, and lack of recreational facilities etc.
Taking all these into account and to train the uniformed personnel in preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS, a Training of Trainers (TOTs) is being conducted for 15th IRB Mahilas from October 13 to 15 at DAN training centre, Carmel School Campus, 3rd Mile Chekiye village Dimapur.
The training aims to train and equip 20 15th IRB mahilas on HIV and AIDS related issues, empowering them with adequate knowledge and information through the trained ToTs members.
The trainees would carry out sensitization program at their respective unit/coy so as to equip themselves with knowledge and skills to protect themselves and the communities as well.
Sharing on the ‘Roles and responsibilities of the police in prevention of pandemic’, Dr. N.L Changkija, project director, Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) said AIDS awareness can be spread with the support of the police by contacting the NGOs or responsible group who works for IDU and CSWs and help in seeking care and support services.
She said though police have limited control, their support can create awareness as they often come in contact with most risk high group including drug peddlers are at high risk for HIV infection.
Emphasizing on the venerability of women to HIV infection, Dr. Changkija said although there was a decline in prevalence of HIV and AIDS, the graphic decline has shifted from IDUs to rapid increase in sexual route of transmission; with women being the most vulnerable victims.
She said the main reason of increased vulnerability were the numerous social and behavioral factors, low socio-economic and educational status, ignorance to health seeking behavior etc.
Stating that around 75% of Naga women were ignorant of health related issues, Dr. Changkija expressed the need to rise up to face the challenges in today’s world and termed this ignorance as the biggest curse in Naga society.
Dr. Changkija however lamented that more and more children are being born to infected mothers and that Nagaland has a little over 500 children affected and infected by HIV & AIDS.
Approximately 120 are already on ART drugs and AIDS orphans were the next burden on the doorstep, she added.
A supportive and enabling environment to halt and reverse the pandemic, increase health seeking behaviour and testing among uniformed personnel, increased testing and normalizing condoms are some of the outcome expected from the training.
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