3,800 New Cases Of HIV Recorded In Borno IDPs Camp

This was according to the Borno Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (BOSACA), which made the disclosure on Wednesday.

The Executive Secretary of BOSACA, Barkindo Saidu, told journalists that the new cases were recorded after a voluntary screening was conducted in 15 IDPs in the state.

According to Saidu, the National Population Commission (NPC) currently puts the percentage people living with HIV/AIDs in Borno at 2.4 percent of the population or about 108,000 persons.

“We recorded 3,800 new cases of HIV between January 2017 and March this year,” he said.

“Also, 70 children in the IDPs camps tested positive.

“So far, in the whole state we have about 18,101 new cases of persons living with HIV within this period and only 9,438 are currently coming for the anti-retroviral therapy and counselling.

“Our challenges are enormous and cannot be over emphasised. It will interest you to note that Borno state have not participated in any HIV programme in the last two years.

“Only tiny portion of the people living with HIV and AIDs can access treatment because most anti-retroviral centres have closed.”

“Within the last six years, the state was only able to achieve nine per cent out of its HIV reduction prevalence rate in Borno state,” he said.

“This was because the government and other support partners have not given priority attention to the plight of such persons.

“Governor Shettima had approved N45 million counterpart funding for HIV development programmes since December 2016, but the fund is yet to be released.

“Three months ago, I wrote a letter to about 29 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to come to the plight of such persons but only UNICEF is assisting.

“On March 30, the federal government had received grant for HIV, TB and Malaria from Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Maleria (GPATM). We cannot access this fund until the state government provide counterpart support funding,” Saidu said