Dimapur, Nov 13 (MExN): There was held a HIV/AIDS policy development workshop which was attended by members of different churches from Nagaland. The spokespersons of this workshop were Neichu Angami and David King. The resource persons answered questions which were raised by participants making the meeting very active and communicative. At the workshop, the perspective that the church as an institution is a powerful tool for which it has a very serious and significant role to play, was stressed; the church can assume its role not only in the terms of rehabilitating the people infected but also strongly understand its key roles, and they should try to impart the knowledge of HIV in the communities, it was shared.
The church is showing much interest in HIV programmes and various related projects in Nagaland and are making an impact in the life of the people. It can be noted that it has greater responsibilities in giving correct and proper information. the participants strongly felt that the church’s role is to encourage and support people who are in need of care, concern as well as related supportive sources.
The church is also concerned about issues related with ‘people-at-risk’ such as drug users, sex workers etc. The need of the church is to reach out to them with an open mind and a caring heart. The church asserted that it aims to making sure that the government is accountable to commitments made to the people in terms of health services as well as other related facilities. The church also recognized and acknowledged that HIV is much beyond ‘normal’ public health issues. Rather, it is like human-rights, a lifestyle issue which is in need to be addressed within the context of poverty, unemployment, conflict etc, it was asserted. Whatever the responsibility, the church is not an NGO related with a HIV/AIDS but a policy guiding factor, the workshop agreed.
