The poison of faith, continued – AIDS and faith healing

It is well known that the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, has been a vocal proponent of the view that HIV does not cause AIDS. A very few researchers in the field agree, although usually not for the reasons Mbeki claims. (Peter Duesberg is probably the most prominent.)

From the perspective of most AIDS organizations and specialists, this tiny minority of HIV skeptics, also called HIV/AIDS dissidents, spread false hope and false cures – bad enough – but crucially are an ongoing and worsening menace to public health in undermining attempts at prevention through regular condom use. For, if AIDS is not sexually transmitted, but is caused by contaminated needles from drug use or a lack of certain herbs, then why use a condom?

And the continent most afflicted by AIDS is home to the most bizarre of the dissidents. That of course is Africa, in which a horrifying 24.5 million adults and children (estimated) were living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2005. In that single year, an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS. The epidemic has left behind over 12 million orphaned African children. Thabo Mbeki’s South Africa leads the way, with current estimates cresting 6 million – 1/8 of the population – with AIDS, and no sign of the increase slowing down.

What has this to do with the poison of religion? Well, Thabo Mbeki has nothing on the president of Gambia. From the Economist:

“PRESIDENT YAHYA JAMMEH, who took power in a coup 13 years ago, claims to have outstripped the scientists and discovered a cure for HIV/AIDS. His secret concoction of seven herbs can annihilate the virus, he says, within three days. Gambian state television repeatedly shows the diminutive president applying his remedy to patients' heads, as he recites verses from the Koran.”

Yes, Islamic faith healing (and herbs!) will cure you of AIDS, if administered by the nation’s most powerful faith healer! And Jammeh isn’t content with AIDS; every Saturday he claims to cure asthmatics, and next up will be a day for diabetics. All they need are herbs and prayers.

When a UN health official dared question the efficacy of Mr Jammeh’s health policy, she was summarily forced from the country, and denounced as “an illiterate who does not know anything about medicine”. Muslim fundamentalism and tribal witch doctoring work hand in hand to repress the forces of truth and modernity. How can the poor and sick be expected to know any better when their spiritual and temporal powers are fused in such a denial of reality?

Just to make things clear, after protesting a new law muzzling the press in late 2004, the editor of an opposition paper, Deyda Hydara, was shot dead, presumably by the government. Mr Jammeh has discussed ruling for four decades; in the past, he has given warning that anyone “disturbing the peace or stability of the nation” would be “buried six feet deep”.

That is, if they don’t die of AIDS first.