By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 29: The Meghalaya State Network of Positive People (MSNPP) on Wednesday alleged that the Education Department, school administrations and management committees have been engaging in discriminatory practices rather than promoting awareness about HIV/AIDS.
In a statement, the MSNPP highlighted the stigmatisation and restricted employment opportunities for people living with HIV, while referring to the implementation of the Mid-Day Meal scheme at Mupyut Mihngi Shiksha LP School.
“Welcome to the bizarre world of Meghalaya, where the school administration and school management committees have taken it upon themselves to mandate HIV screenings for those preparing food under the Mid Day Meal (MDM) Scheme,” said MSNPP spokesperson Barry Leslie Kharmalki.
Maintaining that such a practice is not only absurd but also reflects a lack of basic understanding about HIV transmission, Kharmalki said, “For those unaware, HIV is not transmitted through food preparation — a fact that most people learned in high school health class.”
By linking HIV screening to food preparation duties, the school administrations and school management committee are not only stigmatising individuals with HIV but also unjustly limiting their access to employment opportunities based on their health status, Kharmalki added.
Arguing that no certificates about one’s medical conditions are asked from stall and restaurant owners or any eateries, he said, “If we don’t demand such reports from our favorite eateries, why on earth are we doing it in schools? This policy is a textbook case of unnecessary discrimination wrapped in a lack of common sense.”
He noted that the MDM scheme guidelines do not mandate HIV testing, making the policy unnecessary and discriminatory.
Kharmalki also reminded that the HIV/AIDS, (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, explicitly prohibits such discrimination and protects the rights and dignity of individuals living with HIV.
“Legal experts are quick to point out that violating this act has serious repercussions, with penalties and legal recourse waiting,” he said.
Kharmalki also cited reports of schools like Mawput LP School in West Jaintia Hills and Roman Catholic Schools in East Khasi Hills reportedly enforcing mandatory HIV testing, leading to unjust dismissals.
Even training centres for aspiring food stall owners in the state are enforcing mandatory HIV testing, he added.
Meanwhile, the MSNPP has sought the intervention of the West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner and the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society.
Kharmalki has also warned that if the issue remains unaddressed, the organisation will not hesitate to take legal action.