Health-Tanzania - As the rush to Loliondo for the miracle cure continues, people infected with HIV have been cautioned not to abandon ARVs for the herbal treatment by a retired pastor. An official of a non-governmental organisation supporting HIV/Aids fight in Manyara Region, says it was wrong for people taking the recommended drugs to abandon them in favour of the traditional medicine. Mr Yusuf Selemani of the Support for International Change has warned against the reports that the Loliondo miracle healer can treat Aids could be misleading. "People should not abandon ARVs because of reports that the old man, Ambilikile Mwasapila has the dose for HIV. That is wrong since there is no scientific proof that Aids has a cure," he said.

He said his organisation was involved in assisting people infected with HIV as well as sensitising the public on the pandemic and that he has never heard that a cure for Aids has been found," he pointed out.

For the last two weeks, there has been an influx of people seeking treatment of various diseases, including HIV/Aids, at the retired pastor's clinic at Samunge village in Loliondo District.

There have been reports that some infected people have abandoned taking anti-HIV drugs recommended by the doctors in favour of the herbal concoctions by the traditional medicineman

Although HIV-infected people were among hundreds of patients who flocked to Samunge village for 'treatment', many others went for the liquid concoctions said to cure chronic diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and others.

Thousands of others from various parts of the country and beyond who have been overtaken by the euphoria of the miracle cure flooded the area merely to test the medicine and check their health status.

Joseph Lyimo

The Citizen/14/03/2011