Manipur Health Minister Sapam Ranjan on Thursday assured People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in the state that the government would provide enough Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and hence, the protest by PLHIV with regards to shortage of ART in the state was called off.
Lamenting the shortage of ART, PLHIV had been protesting from February 20 but called it off following the assurance of the health minister of providing the medicine.
Speaking to the media, Kangabam Anandi, secretary of Imphal East Network of Positive People, said that PLHIV has been protesting over the shortage of ART for the last four days. And in those four days, some NGOs and MACS provided them with ART, she said and expressed gratitude towards them for understanding their plight.
She also informed that the health minister assured of enough ART from February 27. However, till February 26, PLHIV will manage from available ART, she said, adding that the health minister also assured of maintaining a routine ART facility like before from February 27.
She, however, warned that the ART available now is for adults only and should not be taken for children.
“Every three months, a meeting will be conducted for maintaining the facility of ART and for long term policy”, she
