Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], May 15 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Monday launched the 'Himcare scheme' for jail inmates.
Chief Minister Sukhu distributed Himcare cards to the prisoners at Model Central Jail Kanda in Shimla.
He also launched the integrated campaign against STI, HIV, TB and Hepatitis (ISHTH) in prisons and other closed settings at Kanda Jail.
The Chief Minister said that registration of inmates under the scheme has been initiated and a 100 per cent target would be achieved shortly. He said that the State government would cover the cost of premiums for inmates in prisons. Additionally, plans were underway to introduce a scheme aimed at educating the children residing in Bal Sudhar Grih of the State, he added.
Chief Minister Sukhu emphasized that the state government was striving to reach out to every citizen, especially those in the most vulnerable conditions.
Sukhu said that the State government observed that the jail inmates were deprived of the benefits of the Himcare scheme and they had to face a paucity of funds for treatment during their illness. That is the reason the State government decided to bring the jail inmates under the ambit of this scheme, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the integrated campaign ISHTH aimed to screen and treat 3,218 inmates of 14 jails in the State and 1,278 inmates of Juvenile Homes, Nari Niketan and Drug Rehabilitation Centres across the State by June 14. He said that teams have been formed at the district level to make the campaign successful, consisting of various medical professionals like District AIDS Program Officer, ICTC, ART, Counselor, Lab Technician, Freezer Peer Mobilizer and paramedical staff.
The Health Department would provide free counselling, treatment and medicines for HIV, TB, STI and Hepatitis to the jail inmates during the campaign. He emphasized that timely treatment is necessary to prevent the spread of infections in society after the release of inmates.
"The State Government was making all-out efforts to eradicate these diseases and was moving forward to achieve the target of eliminating AIDS by the year 2030," said the Chief Minister adding that the government was ensuring proper care of HIV-infected persons by providing them free of cost medicines at 6 antiretroviral centres besides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month and free bus pass facility for treatment.
The CM awarded the winners of the AIDS awareness competition organized for jail inmates on occasion.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inspected the exhibitions of the products made by the prison inmates.
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