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Subject:
From:
Ylva Hernlund <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 22 Jul 2000 17:24:27 -0700
Content-Type:
TEXT/PLAIN
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TEXT/PLAIN (147 lines)
Greetings,

Interestingly, such claims from traditional healers have surfaced in the
Gambia, as well.  I have a newspaper clipping from The Observer March 30,
1998, in which a Ablie Ceesay of Fajikunda claims to have an herbal cure
for AIDS. He is quoted as claiming that "there is no disease in the world
that cannot be cured with the right concoction of roots, bark, leaves and
branches of trees" and that AIDS is actually one of the easier diseases to
cure.  That is why he is so frustrated that no one will listen to him (he
had apparently unsuccessfully contacted various health authorities).
Dr. Sabally of MRC is also interviewed and says that previous claims
about herbal cures for HIV/AIDS have proven ineffective in clinical
tests.
Best, Ylva Hernlund

On Fri, 21 Jul 2000, paul t mendy wrote:

> Hi Mansour,
>
> I share the same views with Mr Sambou. Aficans seem to lack confidence in
> themselves in anything they want to do, even the so-called intellectuals.Any
> time they want to initiate new idea or invention they have to turn to
> someone for approval. Once these people
> frown at the idea everthing is abandoned.
>
> There was sometimes I heard that some African hebalists claimed to have
> aknowledge of curing HIV/AIDS;but nothing is heard about them now. Why? Is
> it that it has been proven that these personalities are incapable of doing
> what they claimed or they are sidelined because they do not meet the
> conventional medical set requirements? I think it is important for us to
> encourage collaboration with our traditional(African) physicians in search
> for the cure for dreadful monster before it devours us all. Inasmuch as we
> intensify the awareness of the disease through information communication and
> education(ICE) we should also join the bandwagon in search for a cure. I may
> be wrong, I have never heard any African institution or foundation so much
> vigarously investing resources in search of drug for AIDS.
>
> Africans still remain in thier traditional habits of being passive partners
> in initiations and inventions. We seem to be good at being recipients of
> outputs of others and not ours. This is terrible!
>
> It is high we learnt how to tackle our own problems.Look, civil conflicts
> and wars are tearing the whole continent into rags but we are not seeing the
> problem within but blaming outsiders. Until we accept the problem is within
> us we can never solve them. It should have been cleared to us now that every
> continent or more specific,country, is defending her position and
> interest.This shouldn't be strange to Africans.As it was in the beginning
> ever still be. How we were maltreated in the era of slavery and colonisation
> is the same way we are relating with them, although in a masked form.
>
> Therefore the solutions to AIDS and other problems should be our great
> concerns. We need to invest our energy and resources to overcome these
> menances or we face degeneration. We can accept and appreciate assistance
> from them but our own initiatives count alot.Lets throw the concepts of
> anything African initiated is bad. We all know many successful works started
> in crude and vague form then later underwent refinery stages before getting
> shapes.
>
> AFRICA IS OURS AND WE AFRICANS WHO CAN PUSH IT FORWARD.
>
> PAUL T
>
>
> >From: Mansour Ceesay <[log in to unmask]>
> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
> ><[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: Re: HIV/AIDS
> >Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 10:20:44 +0100
> >
> >On Thu, 20 Jul 2000 20:45:36 GMT joe sambou
> ><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > > We as Africans need to find solutions for our problems.  We don't have
> >to
> > > lash or stone anyone to combat this disease.  We are always quick to
> >rely on
> > > foreign religions as a cure-all for our problems.  Unless we stop
> >looking to
> > > Mecca or Rome, we will always find our selves scratching our heads for
> >the
> > > obvious.  We cured ourselves of various diseases before Mecca or Rome
> >was
> > > around, what makes us think that we should stop today?
> >
> >Thanks Mr Sambou,
> >
> >I do not consider Islam as a foreign religion.  I know my
> >people have been Muslims for over 500 years!  It is the
> >prescribed religion for all mankind.  Naturally it has
> >start somewhere.  We may have cured many diseases before
> >the advent of AIDS our 'African' way which is less than can
> >be said of pseudo claims by traditional healers of all kinds.
> >My prescribed solutions call for reorientation of our
> >priorities in combating AIDS, i.e. , more emphasis on
> >prevention in the way of behavioral modification rather
> >than hoping for a quick fix in the way of treatment.
> >
> >
> > > Finally, like most things in life, money is not everything but it's part
> >of
> > > everything.  In addition to educating each other and looking into our
> >roots,
> > > we need medications for those who already have the disease, and that
> >costs
> > > money.
> >
> >Well Mr. Sambou I can assure you no African government has
> >enough resources to deal with this.  The per capita spent
> >on health makes an abysmal reading.
> >
> > > My humble opinion.
> >
> >Respected
> >
> >Asalamu Alaikum
> >
> >MMC
> >----------------------
> >Dr M Mansour Ceesay
> >[log in to unmask]
> >
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