State level meeting on HIV-AIDS and harm reduction with law enforcement agencies held in Guwahati

Around 70 top officials of Assam Police, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and Prisons participated in the consultation meeting.

Manvendra Pratap Singh, IAS, Project Director of Assam State AIDS Control Society, welcomed the participants, highlighting the aims and objectives for this high-level consultation meeting.

T Kailash Ditya on behalf of National AIDS Control Organization presented the key note address to the senior officials on the HIV scenario in North East and the Role of LEA in Harm Reduction and Drug Use.

Dr Goerge Bitra, Country Director of Family Health International 360 (FHI360) presented about Project Sunrise and Harm Reduction on drug use.

Mukesh Sahay, DGP, Assam Police took part as the chief guest of the consultation meeting.

The Assam DGP said that such training workshops require to be regularly conducted from time to time and especially at the time of recruitment where they are open to learning.

Hiren Nath, IPS, Commissioner of Police, City, Guwahati, appreciated the involvement of marginalized communities in the consultation and encouraged such dialogue to address areas of concerns like drugs and harm reduction, marginalized gender and sexuality, Supreme Court verdict on 3rd gender, etc.  Community Representatives from marginalized communities presented their plight with LEAs.

Group discussion by senior officials of LEAs was carried out on cases facing the LEAs posted in difficult terrains with respect to risk and vulnerability to HIV AIDS and on the other hand the harassment faced by marginalized population.

Resolutions based on recommendation of group discussion were finalized after interaction in the presence of Assam DGP to take forward the HIV AIDS and Harm Reduction programme with the LEAs and Prisons.

The programme ended with the vote of thanks by Rini Nath Borah from Assam State AIDS Control Society (ASACS).