Five Internally Displaced Persons Test Positive For HIV/AIDS In Nigeria's Troubled Maiduguri

Five Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have tested positive to HIV/AIDS at the NYSC IDP Camp in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Disclosing this on Wednesday was the leader of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Business and Professional Women, Dr. Ismaila Watila, who said the group decided to flag off the programme at the NYSC Camp because it was the largest IDP camp in the state.

He disclosed that out of 1,000 IDPs tested at the camp for malaria and HIV/AIDS, five persons were found to be HIV-positive.

“We are conducting free screening for IDPs on HIV, malaria and other disease conditions. The programme is being conducted by the Business and Professional Women in conjunction with the National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA) and the Sure – P,” he said.

According to him, the aim of the exercise was to find out the health status of the IDPs and prevent disease spread among them.

“We started on Monday and so far we have screened over 1,000 out of the 8,000 IDPs in the camp. Out of these only five have tested positive to HIV/AIDS,” he said, adding that the number represented 0.5 percent of the population of those screened at the camp.

He disclosed further: “Statistically, the number appeared insignificant as it represents just about 0.5 percent of those screened.”

“But as a doctor, I see the number as alarming, because it is a dangerous trend.”

He also disclosed that the affected IDPs had already been counseled and referred for treatment, saying “What we do usually is to treat those who tested positive to malaria and other diseases immediately.”

According to him, “ Those who tested positive to HIV/AIDS will be counseled and transferred to the State Specialists Hospital for proper medication.”

Explaining that the team was also conducting enlightenment campaigns for the IDPs on the need to maintain a healthy living, Watila said: “We also conduct education campaigns on the IDPs camps to enlighten them on how to play safe. The whole thing is to reduce the prevalence of disease condition in the camps.”