Kohima, June 13 (MExN): The North East India Drug Users Forum (NEIDUF), Nagaland Users Network (NUN), Kohima Users’ Network (KUN) and the Network of Nagaland People living with HIV (NNP+) had a meeting today, June 13 to discuss Project Orchid’s apology over the May 11 email issue and the omission of NEIDUF and KUN name in their clarification.
The house resolved to accept both apology for the “wrongly wronged worded (100% Mandatory HIV testing) and intentionally or unintentionally omission of North East India Drug Users Forum (The interim body which spearhead this 100% testing issue), and Kohima Users Network (KUN) names by Project ORCHID in their clarification/ apology letter to local news paper and e-forum and to work together for the betterment of our communities”, stated a press note received here.
The NEIDUF, NUN, KUN and NNP+ in a joint press note stated that on May 9 last a joint meeting was called and convened by the Commissioner and Secretary, Health and Family Welfare cum Chairman Nagaland State AIDS Control Society in the Nagaland State Civil Secretariat Conference Hall, Nagaland, Kohima to discuss the issue of “100% HIV Mandatory Testing”.
It stated that the Commissioner and Secretary, appealed the house to have an honest and open sharing and resolve the 100% Mandatory HIV testing issue, since this issue was not doing any good to any party and he open the floor for discussion.
The drug using communities shared their resentment towards Project ORCHID office mail dated May 11, which was send to their partner NGOs, stating that. ‘Avahan and NACO have made mandatory that 100% of the HRGs (Core target groups) have to be tested annually’ and demanded to know from project Orchid representatives that either it was a mistake on their (ORCHID) part or AVAHAN and NACO has pressurized them, if NACO and AVAHAN is involved than the matter stop here, we will take up this issue with them, but you (ORCHID) have to give a clear statement that they are involved.
Moreover, David Humtsoe, State Manager Project ORCHID, Nagaland said firstly he wanted to share how this mail statement has been generated, and said, that on May 10, they had a meeting between ORCHID and NSACS, and on that day, the Joint Director (TI) NSACS had pointed out that their (ORCHID) referrals are very poor and need to scale up their referrals to ICTC and request Project ORCHID to list out the challenges they faced in regard to ICTC referrals. Therefore in the process of asking its implementing partners to provide information on the same this mail was germinated and not with any ill intention. He also said that there was a good response from the NGO expressing their challenges in regards to ICTC. Melody Lalmuanpuii Program Manager Project ORCHID said that it was purely a mistake on their part and she also said that there was no pressure from any one (AVAHAN & NACO) and ask for an apology for the same, it said.
Meanwhile, the Project Orchid Director Dr, Langkham’s letter was read out by the Joint Director (TI) NSACS, the letter stated: “A sentence in the mail (dated 11th May 2010) viz. ‘Avahan and NACO have made mandatory that 100% of the HRGs (Core target groups) have to be tested annually’ was a wrongly worded communication that unfortunately conveyed a meaning that was not at all intended. I, on behalf of Project ORCHID, withdraw and retract the same. We apologize to you for any confusion that it has created. Any undue concern and stress it might have caused you and the community concerned is also regretted.”
Since Project Orchid has stated that they do not have any pressure from any one and the error was made and the responsibility lays on them only, and have asked for an apology and they also withdraw and retract the same, therefore, the house appealed to HRGs communities to forgive and closed this issue. The HRGs demanded that the same message of Director Project ORCHID which was read out by the Joint Director (TI) NSACS should be given the press and to the e-forum and project ORCHID representative have given their consent the meeting was closed, it stated.
The note also stated: “We the NEIDUF, NUN, KUN and NNP+ would like to thank all the individuals and organisations for your feedback, suggestion and advice through anpud e-forum, personal email and through phone calls. We also would like express our apology if we have hurt any individuals or organisation sentiment due to our activism and unprofessional advocacy in dealing the issue and fighting for our fundamental rights.”
Furthermore, officials and representative from the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) and the apex body of Nagaland NGOs working in the field of Drugs and HIV/AIDS, Network of Nagaland Drug & HIV/AIDS Organisation (N Naga Dao), Project ORCHID, NEIDUF, NUN, KUN, NNP+ and some IDU Targeted Intervention DICs beneficiaries attended the meeting.
 MEETING RESOLUTION.JPG)
