Following a screening of about 2,109 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Yobe State by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), about 14 people have tested positive for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV).
Project Coordinator for NACA, Dr Aminu Fikin, who made this known said so far 759 people have been screened in Nguru, 850 in Jakusko, 400 in Gashua, 400 in Yusufari and, 250 in Jajimaji, adding that the IDPs were from Baga, Malum Fatori and Askira in Borno state, Michika, Uba and Mubi in Adamawa state and, Buni Yadi, Damaturu and Giedam in Yobe state.
In Fikin’s words: ”The project was targeting 6,000 people, but, because there is no IDP camp in Yobe, most of the IDPs are staying with relations in individual houses in villages scattered across the state.
“We are also constrained by the difficult terrain to reach some of these villages”
A healthcare provider, Rakiya Sherrif, said a lot of counselling was done so as to get the people to submit themselves for screening.
Sheriff said: “We had to provide some basic needs like treated mosquito nets, soap, detergents and other toiletries to woo them for the screening exercise, ”
