Nigeria's refugee camps record 512 new HIV cases

LAGOS, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- At least 512 new cases of HIV infections have been recorded in internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in Nigeria's restive Borno State, an official said Sunday. The cases were recorded after voluntary screening in some IDPs' camps in the northeast state, Barkindo Saidu, the Executive Secretary of Borno Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (BOSACA), told a news conference in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state. Saidu pointed out that two out of the 512 persons were children. "We are currently conducting voluntary screening on HIV/AIDS in IDPs' camps across the state to determine the status of the people, especially those rescued from the Boko Haram terrorists," he added. He said the state had witnessed rising cases of the disease largely due to the Boko Haram terrorism. According to him, 2.4 percent of the population of the state are living with HIV/AIDS, which translates to 108,000 people, going by the record of the National Population Commission. "But only a tiny portion of these people can access treatment because most anti retro-viral centers have closed," Saidu said. The health official told reporters that only 32 out of the 90 antiretroviral centers were still operational in the state. The rest have been closed down due to Boko Haram activities.