Islamic scholars asked to help fight HIV/AIDS

 

By Muhtarr Jallow

 

ALHAJI Colley manager of the National Aids Control Programme, NACP, has called on Islamic scholars to act now to arrest the spread of HIV/AIDS, which would have a negative impact on the country's socio-economic development.

Colley made this call at Tendaba Camp in the Lower River Division, when he presented a paper on the HIV/AIDS situation in The Gambia, at the just-ended workshop on HIV/AIDS organised by Gamcotrap and funded by ActionAid The Gambia .

From 1986 to date, there have been 4,000 known AIDS cases, and that the number of people infected with the virus has increased. The current prevalence rate is 1.2% in The Gambia, and around 520 HIV positive people were discovered from 1993 to 1995 from about 29,607 pregnant mothers who were tested.

Colley further revealed that data from both the MRC clinic in Fajara, the WEC mission clinic at Sibanor and the Royal Victoria Hospital showed an increase of HIV 1 infection, which is more aggressive than HIV 2.

He cited wife inheritance, early marriage, infidelity and multiple female partners as in polygamous marriages, tattooing using skin-piercing instruments as some of the cultural practices which facilitate the transmission and spread of HIV/AIDS and which, therefore, should be critically looked into.

Cultural values such as chastity, fidelity or faithfulness of partners even in polygamy could prevent the spread of the disease and these need to be promoted, he said.

Mr Colley emphasised that HIV/AIDS exists, and denial causes a setback to the multi-sectoral approach being taken by stakeholders to fight its spread.

Mr Colley and the UN volunteer Rose Charles also called for support to people with HIV//AIDS.

Participants at the three-day workshop issued a declaration commiting themselves to wage a holy war or jihad against the spread of the  disease. They agreed to form an association called Islamic Health and Welfare Association for The Gambia (IHWAG) to strengthen their resolve to combat HIV/AIDS. They called for partnership with government and other agencies involved in the campaign to heighten awareness to prevent the spread of the disease.

Declaring the workshop closed, the FFHC secretary-general and project leader, Mballa Joof, deputising for the LRD commissioner, called on the participants to make good use of the media and their religious platforms to disseminate accurate information on HIV/AIDS.

About 50 Islamic scholars and imams from all over the country attended the conference.