FIVE Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Maiduguri resettlement camps in Borno State have been tested positive to the

HIV/AIDS virus, while over 1,000 displaced persons were screened for malaria and other diseases.

  This was disclosed yesterday in Maiduguri by the leader of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Business and Professional Women, Dr. Ismaila Watila.

  He said the over 1,000 displaced persons at the camps were screened for malaria and HIV/AIDS.

  His words: “We are conducting free screening for IDPs on HIV/AIDS, 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 the reason for 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,” said Dr. Watila.

  He, however, said that the number represented 0.5 per cent of the population of those screened at the camp. Statistically, the number appeared insignificant as it represents just about 0.5 per cent of those screened at the IDP camps.

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

  “What we do usually is to treat those who tested positive to malaria and other diseases immediately. Those who tested positive to HIV/AIDS will be counselled and transferred to the State Specialists Hospital for proper medication.

  “We also conduct education campaigns on the IDP camps to enlighten them on how to play safe. The whole thing is to reduce the prevalence of disease condition in the camps”, he said.