You can use SparseArray
setting the system sub-option "TreatRepeatedEntries"
to TotalPlus
:
SetSystemOptions["SparseArrayOptions" -> {"TreatRepeatedEntries" -> (Total[{##}] &)Plus}];
sa = SparseArray[{{1, 2} -> -1, {1, 1} -> 1, {1, 2} -> -1, {1, 6} -> 1}];
SetSystemOptions["SparseArrayOptions" -> {"TreatRepeatedEntries" -> First];First}];
Thread[sa@"NonzeroPositions" -> sa@ "NonzeroValues"]
{{1, 2} -> -2, {1, 1} -> 1, {1, 6} -> 1}