SHILLONG: With the Northeast battling against the spurt in cases of HIV/AIDS, Meghalaya legislators have decided to donate Rs 1 lakh each from their local area development funds to the cause.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma made this announcement at the two-day consultation meet on HIV/AIDS held in Guwahati on Friday organized by the Forum of Parliamentarians on HIV/AIDS for the North East states.
Health Minister AL Hek informed over phone from Guwahati that Rs 1 lakh to be donated by each legislator of Meghalaya will go to the Parliamentary Forum for HIV/AIDS which will help in making effecting steps to contain the disease.While the MPs are part of Parliamentary Forum for HIV/AIDS, the states have similar affiliated bodies. The Meghalaya Legislators’ Forum on HIV/AIDS (MLFA) was formed on similar line.
President of the Parliamentary Forum for HIV/AIDS, Oscar Fernandes, chaired the meeting organized with technical support from NACO and UNAIDS.
The meet is an attempt to sensitize the policy makers to effectively address the issue of HIV/AIDS.
The chief ministers of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh are taking part in the meet which will conclude on Saturday.
All Cabinet ministers from the State except Prof. RC Laloo, Prestone Tynsong and HDR Lyngdoh attended the meet.