Jammeh Begins Curing HIV/AIDS

The eccentric Gambian president exercises a different set of powers

Feb 7, 2007 Sean Sinclair-Day

The self-delcared mystic president of The Gambia says that he can cure asthma and HIV/AIDS. Patients have rushed to Banjul hoping to be healed.

On January 18, President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia began doing what no other doctor or scientist has yet been able to accomplish. He began "curing" victims of HIV/AIDS and asthma. His statements have shocked the medical establisment in Africa.

In The Economist's most recent edition, there is an editorial discussing Africa's need to not only embrace the free market and rule of law, but also the wonders of science-based technology. The editorial argues that the harmonious combination of these three things is what turned both Europe and North America into prosperous continents. Science is slowly becoming a priority in Africa, especially in the agricultural industry, but the health sector has its fair share of strange stories.

Since HIV/AIDS is so problematic across the continent, it was alarming to hear the South African government's declaration that a steady diet of beetroot, garlic and olive oil could help those infected with HIV, a claim they have recently retracted. The president of The Gambia, however, seems to have outdone the South African medicine establishment with his grandiose assertions that, in only three days, he can cure those who have asthma and AIDS.

President Yahya Jammeh claims to have mystical powers and has recently been using treatment based on seven herbs mentioned in the Koran. Patients simply require a referral from their doctor and the patience to wait in the long queues in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia. President Jammeh recently declared that he received a "mandate" to use his herbal treatment to cure people en masse. On Mondays and Thursdays the president uses his secret herbal mixture on those afflicted with HIV/AIDS and on Fridays and Saturdays he "cures" those with asthma.

Oddly Enough

Initial reports of President Jammeh's claims sounded like the leader of Africa's smallest nation was telling the continent's largest lies but for more than two weeks people have been flocking to Banjul and, according to authoritative reports, the president's treatment appears to be working. The Daily Observer has written that 135 asthma sufferers have successfully recovered and The Gambia's Department of State for Health and Social Welfare said, on February 5, that five of the nine HIV victims have shown significant signs of improvement.

The copyright of the article Jammeh Begins Curing HIV/AIDS in North African Affairs is owned by Sean Sinclair-Day. Permission to republish Jammeh Begins Curing HIV/AIDS in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Comments

Feb 20, 2007 6:35 AM

Haruna Jaiteh :

I am utterly suprised and dissappointed at the outpour of ignorance by socalled "scientists" following the miraculous breakthrough in HIV/Aids treatment by President Jammeh of the Gambia. The treatment has been transparant, systematic and succesfull. All Gambians in the Gambia and even the non-Gambians here have been following the treatment sessions on TV. We all saw the patients before treatment. We know their certified status by the Medical Officersas being HIV positive. Wesaw the patients during the treatment. We saw them after the treatment. We saw their results from the University of Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar. The patients spoke therefater. What more do you want. If it cannot be denied that Jesus healed the sick, lepers and blnd and raised the dead, this HIV Treatment by Yahya Jammeh cannot be denied. He has been endowed with curative knoweldge and skill by God and uses the Holy Quran to cure. This is real. Let those who deny it come out here and see the miracle for themselves. I am sure it will be easy to believe that Priests, Imams or Evengalists can cure using the power of God. He4 is not any of these and yet he has cured the most cxhallrenging dsisease. Yahya is therefore the greatest man of the century.
Kaba Jaiteh, Dippakunda, Gambia

Feb 28, 2007 3:05 PM

Sean Sinclair-Day :

It is true, this event has had little coverage by Western sources. The fact that almost all of the success stories have come from The Gambia's state-run media have cause many to question the legitimacy of Jammeh's claims to be able to cure.

2 Comments