Imphal, April 17 2010: A one-day Training Programme for Police Officers on HIV/AIDS was held under the aegis of Manipur Police Department at the Banquet Hall of the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles today.

DGP Manipur, Y Joykumar was the chief guest at the inaugural function of the training programme.

Director of Manipur AIDS Control Society (MACS), PK Jha, Project Director (Technical), MACS, Dr Kh Pramod and IGP (AP) Anand Prakash were the guests of honour.

Speaking on the occasion, DGP Joykumar pointed out that the police have a significant role to take in prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Police must also make a concerted effort to prevent discrimination of the people living with HIV/AIDS.

DGP Joykumar further said that an important means to prevent HIV/AIDS from spreading is to try to completely block smuggling of heroin (No.4) from the neighbouring Golden Triangle into the state, and stop drug abuse.

The state police chief said, those police personnel out in the field need to sincerely think of it as an essential duty to try to prevent drug smuggling by anti-social elements and the problem of drug abuse in the society.

DGP Joykumar reminded the Police Officers that instead of waiting for the Narcotic Cell only, all officers at every police stations in the state need to take the leading role in launching drives against drugs like several civil organisations were doing.

The gays were also a major factor in spreading HIV/AIDS, the Police Chief said and added that police ought to take a key role in bringing them to the right path.

He also advised the officers of the Police Department, which is one of the departments that have the closest relationship with the people, to make the general public aware of the negative social impact by discriminating those people living with HIV/AIDS.

Th Radheshyam, Superintendent of Police, Imphal East district mentioned that the police must take up the role in educating people about AIDS and also help the people living with HIV/AIDS.

In order to help the people living with AIDS in an effective manner, the police department must also invite the NGOs and AIDS Control Society to organize AIDS awareness programme, added Th Radheshyam.

Out of the total 33,408 HIV positive people in the state of Manipur, 625 people have lost their lives, informed Dr.Kh.

Pramod Kumar Singh, project director, Manipur Aids Control Society (MACS) during a one day State Level Training Programme held Saturday at Imphal.

Disclosing further, Dr.Kh.

Pramod Kumar Singh said that a total of 1, 72,116 people were being tested out of which 13,064 were tested HIV positive during the last five years.

According to the data of National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) 2006-07, Manipur recorded the highest number of HIV positive people in the country, informed Dr.Kh.

Pramod Kumar Singh.

He maintained that there are 73 blood test centres for HIV and 5 mobile vans out of which 3 are active in hill districts.

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