A month-long ‘Shelter Home-cum-Detoxification Camp’ was inaugurated on Sunday at Ishikha, Yumnam Khunou Part- II by Community Response on COVID-Manipur (CRoC-Manipur). This is the second time that such a camp is being held in the state, said convenor of the CRoC-Manipur, RK Nalinikanta.
The first camp was organised during the initial stage of COVID-19 pandemic when the state had only two positive COVID patients, the convenor said.
As the coronavirus confirmed cases in the state have been increasing due to the arrival of many stranded Manipuris from various parts of India, the camp is being held again, he said. But the intake capacity of the camp is reduced to 25 seats, he added.
He stated that the main objective of organising the camp is to help prevent COVID-19 infection among drug users.
"Prevention of coronavirus infection among drug users must be ensured in order to contain COVID -19 in the state. Drug users are vulnerable to coronavirus as they do not bother of lockdown or social distancing in their attempt to fulfill their daily doses," he said.
Nalinikanta further said that the condition of COVID-19 in the state is worsening. The state government should not restrict their focus only in keeping stranded people in quarantine centres.
It is high time for the government to take up some initiative for drug abusers who are vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, he appealed.
MLA of Khundrakpam assembly constituency Th Lokeshwar Singh, who took part as the president of function, said that irrespective of caste, community and religion, everyone should extend their effort to fight against the highly infectious disease.
He said that there is no transparency concerning how much money has been sanctioned by the central government to the state for fighting COVID-19 infection though the situation is worsening. As such, the people of the state should be very cautious at their own level to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state.
He also appealed to newly enrolled inmates to come in the right path and urged them to stop destroying their lives with intoxicants.
The chief guest of the function, acting chairperson, Manipur Human Right Commission (MHRC), Khaidem Mani Singh briefed about coronavirus and its precautionary measures of COVID-19 to the inmates of the camp. He also highlighted the main role of MHRC in the state.
Director, department of Social Welfare, Ngangom Uttam Singh also took part on the occasion as the guest of honour.
It may be mentioned that CRoC-Manipur is an alliance of five NGOs that basically works for drug abusers. The NGOs are Apunba Drug Rehabilitation Forum, KADAP, Makers Foundation and User Society for Effective Response Manipur.
