Michael Scales Reacts To Dr. Jallow’s Sacking

By Michael Scales, UK

Dear Mr. Editor,

 It is with deep regret that I acknowledged the "sacking" of Health Minister, Dr Mariatou Jallow..a well known committed professional administrator and one of the very few gifted servants to the Gambian people, in The Department of Health. Her knowledge will be sorely missed not only by Gambian's, but she also commanded the respect of her colleagues as someone who actually did know what they were doing. She follows  Dr. Tamsir Mbowe to the Well trodden "Elephants" graveyard..of the expendable.

Dr.Mbowe was a Gynecologist who made great play of his devotion to the people of The Gambia, as he explained to his cost here on these pages. Unfortunately, his devotion and support of Dr.Jammeh's alleged cure for Hiv/Aids was seen by many here as a misguided career path as a Doctor "Trading out of his college" For nowhere to be seen was he carrying a diploma in Immunology? Neither did his C.V. explain any relevant qualification in treating The Human Immune Virus.

 Dr.Jammeh never did respond to my call to bring forth those 76 patients posted to his web site that he claimed to have cured. How many remain in "The Cured State" today.?

 For Dr.Mbowe advised those taking Dr.Jammeh famous " cure all "elixir that they must stop taking the Anti Retroviral Drugs, that have saved the life of untold millions of people, before they could commence "The Doctors" sure fire treatment. It would be laughable if it weren't so tragic. I fear the classic state of end stage renal failure will have succumbed many by now.

 How strange that "The Witch Hunts" were accompanied by those drinking such poison that produced hallucinations and kidney problems....with some dying of renal failure.?

 For the most common opportunist infection, PCP Pneumonia causes multi organ failure leading to the total collapse of kidney function.

United States Health Department Guidelines {The World benchmark for the Treatment of Hiv/Aids} states that any patient diagnosed with Hiv accompanied by a CD4 cell count of less than 200 should immediately be given PCP Proferlaxis {Septrin/Co trixamol} which is 98.2% certain of attenuating PCP Pneumonia. Failure to do so leaves the treating Consultant Doctor open to a charge of  "clinical negligence"

Out of the 76 patients that Dr.Jammeh and his "able" assistant Dr Mbowe posted to The President's website...no less than 46 patients had CD4 cell counts less than 200. Many also had Viral Lodes {the amount of virus in the body} measuring in thousands and millions.

 God bless every one of them for coming forward in the "Hope" that I fear was false.

End stage renal failure is a particularly nasty way to die....

 You lose body weight fast accompanied by loss of strength. The virus enters the brain causing hallucinations and uncontrollable sweating and  vomiting and deep sleep. You die not knowing who you are or where you are as you enter the worst nightmares the imagination can conjure. A bullet in the brain would be a mercy to those afflicted. Death is inevitable.

 That is unless you are in the hands of suitably qualified Hiv technicians and Immunologists who can serve the body with hi tech intensive care equipment that allows the body to function  Independently whilst a concoction of medication is administered by intensive therapy.

These days in a modern well equipped  Hospital High Dependency Unit..they can recover even the most dire patient and bring them back to health.

Anti Retroviral Drugs {ART} take up to 6 months to "Kick in" to support the body’s immune system. In fact it can take up to 7 years for these drugs to fully reconstruct the body’s immune system.

 For those patients with a suppressed immune system..it is more important to commence PCP Proferlaxis, even before considering Anti Retroviral Therapy {ART}

A recent study concluded by Bristol University here in the U.K. now forecasts life expectancy of up to 30.4 years for those taking ART.

Meanwhile, the loss of any "qualified" doctor in The Gambia is a big tragedy. The loss of Dr.Mariatou Jallow is more than that....it is an outrage. For lost to the nation is her specialist knowledge of Hospital procedure accompanied by her outstanding credentials as a very experienced medical consultant.

 Her future may lay here in the U.K. where such people are highly welcomed and respected.

 Should we laugh or should we cry ? One more nail in the "Great illusionists " coffin I fear ?

 I remain Michael..U.K.