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| Photo taken from The Point |
On the eve of The Gambia’s 49th independence anniversary
of February 18, Jammeh, who is also an herbal doctor, said “this Day will be
set aside to appreciate, celebrate and also embrace Gambia’s indigenous ways of
medical treatment.”
The Gambian leader said the Day will be celebrated “for the
glories of our rich past”.
However, he noted that it should be a moment for further
reflection, though and research for the improvement of indigenous knowledge of
natural remedies for their adaptation in a dynamic and increasingly
materialistic commercial world.
He said his government will continue to support research on
our cultural heritage and also encourage Gambians to make good use of our
natural resources for the benefit of every one.
“In this vein, I am pleased to inform you that henceforth,
January 17 will be celebrated as National Natural Medicines Day,” Mr Jammeh
announced.
On January 17, 2014, Jammeh observed the 7th
anniversary of his “Breakthrough” which celebrates his cost-free herbal medical
treatment of various diseases including HIV and AIDS.
He has since unveiled new treatment for diseases like breast
cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, pile and sickle cell.
In 2011, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said it recognised the complementary role
traditional medicine plays in the delivery of health care services in The Gambia. It said a substantial proportion of people in The Gambia use
traditional medicine.
Locals in the West African country have very
strong believes in traditional medicine. Several resident witchdoctors, some of
whom are from Mali, now use commercial radio stations to popularize their
traditional medicine CVs.
Written by Modou S. Joof
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