Benguela, Angola — Malaria killed 120 persons, 86 of them children between April and July within Balombo municipal, in the southern Angolan coastal province of Benguela.

The Angolan news agency quoted a report issued Monday, which indicated that more than 60 other deaths during the same period were caused by cerebral malaria, acute diarrhoea and pneumonia.

Balombo's health officer, Celestino Bueti, told the agency that bad hygienic conditions were to blame for most of the deaths.

Meanwhile, the agency official sources as saying 950 cases of people living with HIV, which causes the incurable AIDS, have been diagnosed in Benguela province since 1999.

The figure was revealed recently during debate organised by the "Miss Angola" committee, which was attended by the co-ordinator of the Benguela provincial AIDS control programme, Paula Tavares, and the reigning Miss Angola, Karina Manita, who is currently collecting information on AIDS.

Manita expects to use the data during her campaign against the pandemic within schools and military units, where the majority of young people aged between 15-45 living with HIV are found.

Tavares revealed that 46 cases of people living with HIV were diagnosed in August 1999 in Benguela town. Someof these patients have died already.

According to her, the number of people living with the virus could rise further if those already infected continue to contaminate others.

The health ministry and several non-governmental organisations are currently engaged in campaign to educate young people on measures to avoid HIV infection.

The campaign has so far been conducted in Cunene, Huila, Benguela, Namibe, Kuanza in the south and Cabinda in the north.