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Momodou
Denmark
11831 Posts |
 Posted - 14 Sep 2007 : 19:22:26
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Foroyaa Editorial
Questioning the Direction of Health Delivery
Foroyaa received a letter from Karamba Touray expressing outrage at the focus given by Health authorities to treatment in Kanilai at the expense of the National Health Delivery System.
This is not only being broadcast by national radio. The non-governmental radio stations broadcast such advertisements daily.
Suffice it to say that since the various treatments started in Kanilai one finds even the wife of the former president as a patient.
The Gambia has a very complex people with diverse beliefs. They resort to such beliefs irrespective of level of education. Attempts to question such beliefs could even earn a person the label of being an unbeliever or cultural heretic. Can you imagine what type of minds would believe that displaying the buttocks of elderly women could make an opponent to lose an election.
It is customary for even those who are not ill to take daily concoction of herbs or roots diluted in water for protection.
What Foroyaa had done since the HIV/AIDS treatment started is to contact the Medical and Dental Asociation and some senior representatives of the profession for comment. We are yet to be successful to get medical opinion in the Gambia.
Secondly, we sought the opinion of the WHO and UN HIV/AIDS. They indicated that their position that HIV/AIDS has no cure still stands and gave advice that those diagnosed as HIV/AIDS patients should continue to take anti retroviral drugs. Foroyaa sought to have an interview with Dr. Mbowe who appeared keen. An initial appointment was fixed but later cancelled by him.
Neither the doctor at the state level nor the non-governmental levels are willing to comment.
Unfortunately, the opinions of laypersons in medicine are not scientific grounds to argue a case.
In this light, Foroyaa will continue to advise people to the best of our ability to adhere to the ABC approach to the prevention of HIV/AIDS and would try to have periodic interviews with medical practitioners on how to prevent and manage hypertension and diabetes.
We hope that the small contribution will help Gambians to make a choice.
As it stands there are no laws regulating the practice of traditional medicine.
People's beliefs have a lot of impact on their health. Beliefs should not be imposed.
We hope such exchanges will enhance the debate and enable the people to make informed choices on how to manage their own health.
Where professionals are silent laypersons can only continue to shout from rooftops for them to answer to the call of conscience and keep our fingers.
Foroyaa, however, recommends another option. Where systems do not serve the welfare of the people, they have the votes to change them. Personal outrage can ease conscience, but do little to change systems. We must all become educators of the masses for a better Gambia.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No 108/2007, 14 - 16 September 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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