Ousman Badjie made this revelation during an audience with journalist Peter Gomez on his popular ‘Coffee Time’ hour aired on West Coast Radio last Thursday, as part of activities marking World AIDS Day, which is celebrated on December 1st.
"We are talking about 1.52% living with HIV/AIDS, and transmitting that into absolute figures, we are talking about 27 to 28 thousand people living with HIV/AIDS in The Gambia." Badjie stated.
Badjie, however, told Coffee Time that the most prevalent cases are noticeable amongst FSW (Female Sex Workers) and members of the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) community.
"The last study that we did among the group of that key population that is among LGBT and FSW, indicated a prevalence of 11% for sex workers and 35% for the other group."
As per their study, Badjie noted that the trend is similar in other parts of the region.
"But again, within the general population, you can see some variation in terms of HIV prevalence among the different groups. In other countries, the adolescent groups are more affected by HIV, but over the years in The Gambia studies show that 34-39 age group has the highest burden as far as HIV is concerned in The Gambia."
Badjie further reminded that HIV & AIDS is ‘no more a killer disease', but the stigma attached, saying once someone has effective treatment, he/she is not supposed to die from the disease.
He indicated that getting those people for treatment remains a big challenge.
In January 2007, former President Yahya Jammeh stunned the world by announcing that he can cure HIV and AIDS.
Through his President Alternative Treatment Programme, 41 people living with HIV and AIDS lost their lives as revealed at the Truth Commission.
Meanwhile, Dr Badjie stated that this is not scientifically proven even though there are many people who claimed to have found a cure for the virus through herbal medicines.
He thus encouraged people with the virus to always seek medical attention and never to be shy to report their status to a health professional.
