Morning and evening drop in centre for drug users opened
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 07, 2011:
A morning and evening drop in center for drug users' the first of its kind in Manipur was inaugurated today at North AOC under the initiative of the Future Development Drug Users'.
Vice president Tiken of Social Awareness Service Organisation cut the inaugural ribbon to mark the inaugural function.
Executive member Roshan of the Future Development Drug Users Organisation, in his key note address, said that the DIC centre was initiated to bridge the barrier in accessing services beyond the office hours of the conventional service outlet in the state.
The DIC will provide NSEP, condom promotion, overdose management and referral service from 6 am to 8.30 am in the morning and from 4.30 pm to 7 pm in the evening.
He added that the DIC was implemented without any funding sources from any donor agency.
He further said that the DIC was initiated in implementing the recommendations of the state level drug users' convention held in 2008. Rocky (not real name) a drug user speaking on the occasion said that DIC would help a lot in preventing blood borne viruses among drug users.
He also shares his experiences on the unavailability of syringes, condoms and other service beyond office hour.
He said that a few month ago one of his friend who use drug together got heroin overdose in the morning and he have no option or other service outlets opened in the morning to take help.
He quotes the death as "unnecessary death".
He said that such a service outlets which open beyond the office hour is a boon for the drug users.
Deepak, the president of Manipur Network of Positive People, said that he wish to have such an outlet in the early 80s when he use to uses drugs.
He said the current HIV prevalence of around 30000 would not have gone to this level if such initiatives have been implemented during those days.
He concluded that such initiative should be replicated to reduce the HIV prevalence and overdose dead in a context like Manipur.
Moti General Secretary, Future Development Drug Users' Organisation also said that such outlets will be replicated in other hotspots of Manipur.