Gambian AIDs cure...

Reading different news stories out of The Gambia, it seems their president, Yaya Jammeh, has found a cure for AIDs.

He's claiming that he has cured 9 people of HIV, both type 1 and type 2, using a mix of 'secretive herbs'.

Here's a news article from The Daily Observer (Banjul) from the 29th Jan.

Nine Hiv/Aids patients curently undergoing President Yahya Jammeh's treatment are responding to treatment, as their general conditions improved.

According to a press release from the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare, the patients were examined clinically and weighed before the start of the treatment.Three of them had HIV 2, while the rest got HIV 1.

Most of them women, according to the press release, came with severe abdominal pain. The male patients had severe lower abdominal pain, while two female patients suffered from upper respiratory tract infection.

Two of the patients were extremely weak and could hardly stand. Shortly after the administration of the first dose of the treatment, within 24 hours, the patients were able to walk and run. On the evening of the second day, those with upper respiratory tract infection had their chest symptoms disappear and felt better.

The patients with abdominal pains, after the first dose of medication, their pain disappeared. During the 10-day period of treatment , the vital signs and weights of the patients were closely monitored and their conditions improved. Eight of the patients showed a mark increased in weight, ranging from 3 kilograms to 15 kilograms.

The oral thrush that was noticeable at the beginning of the treatment disappeared by Day-Five of their treatment. By the Ninth-Day of the treatment, the patients showed 'a pink conjunctiva, as compared to the pale conjunctiva' that was earlier seen on their First-Day. This, according to reports, was confirmed by the changes in their haemoglobin levels.

All the patients are physically and mentally stable. Blood samples of the patients have been taken and they are awaiting results.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200701291836.html

If it's proven true it certainly is a great thing. However most of the readings I've seen have come from Government run, or Government influenced media sources. A later article (http://allafrica.com/stories/200701310835.html) claimes all 9 patients are virtually healed, with high CD4 counts. In another story Jammeh is also quoted as saying "Anyone who comes to his treatment will not die from AIDs"

These are some pretty big claims, and at this time I've only been checking out Gambian sourced media (something I like to do to keep in touch with the country I spent time in), but I will look at some more international media to confirm stories...

Coming so soon after presidential elections where Jammeh promised to make a difference to the AIDs epidemic, and then winning the election again, it seems a little too good to be true.