Woman testifies on Jammeh’s alternative HIV&AIDS treatment

By Binta Jaiteh

A woman living with HIV&AIDS on Wednesday testified on ex-President Yahya Jammeh’s alternative treatment before the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission.

Fatou Jatta, said she was tested positive with the virus in 1995 at Medical Research Council, revealing that the disease deteriorated her health conditions.

She stated that, there is a group called Santa Yallah, they had a counselor, and a home day care volunteer, according to her, she was the first female who stood up to show herself to the world that she has the disease and she was able to sensitize people and other lives were saved.

“Some people think if you have HIV that your ends but she said NO to that, you can have HIV and still leave and to her believe HIV is better than High Blood Pressure and Diabetes,” she said.

She also said the former President Jammeh invited them to State House, adding “all of a sudden they brought two full carton of drug and they were ordered not mention the name of the deliverer.”

According her, their coordinator called her and said he received a call from the then vice president saying that Jammeh said she should choose 20 people who are affected that will be cured.

“The president said he was ready to start the procedure, one of their members went in and to her surprise when she got inside, she was asked to undressed and the president told her to stretch her hands and he prayed. They rubbed the medicine all over my body even on the private part was included and they did not ask their concern even and she was weak and the camera was on her throughout,” she said.

She said the medicine given to them has deteriorated her health condition, adding they were even not allowed to visit their families neither their families will visit them is as if they are prisoners.