The Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, the brainchild and herbal doctor of the Presidential Treatment Programme (PTP) Friday discharged 41 treated HIV/AIDS patients out of the total 46 who entered the sixth batch treatment programme on 12 February, 2010, at a well attended ceremony held at the Festival Square in Kanilai.

The patients, who at the time of the commencement of the treatment had a minimum of 25 million viral loads, were discharged after an intensive treatment that resulted in the successful cleansing of the virus from their systems after four months.This latest development has been described as yet another victory in the annals of the Gambian leader's treatment, which again proved the effectiveness of his herbal medicine in treating and curing people with HIV/AIDS.

Speaking at the occasion, the Gambian leader again renewed gratitude to the Almighty Allah for showing him the way in getting rid of one of the worst scourges in human history -the HIV/AIDS virus."As I stand here before you, I am confident that any so-called incurable disease that I concentrate on, by the grace of the Almighty Allah, I will be able to cure it," he declared.

The president as usual cautioned the treated and discharged patients to be very sensitive now that they have their health restored, warning them that getting rid of the virus in their system is "no vaccination of not being re-infected". To this end, he advised them to ensure that their partners who are HIV positive and are yet to undergo his treatment to do so in order to avoid re-infection.

"What I can guarantee you that are going to be discharged is that none of you can infect anyone because you don't have the virus," the president assured, explaining that the objective of his treatment is to eliminate the virus from the patient's system to the extent that the person will never have HIV/AIDS if he or she does not get in contact with someone who is infected.He also called on people with HIV/AIDS who are yet to come forward and declare their status to do so by registering with the PTP before it is too late, with a view to avoid complication of the sickness.

He finally commended the sixth batch patients for their comportment and patience during the course of the treatment, declaring them as the best batch in the history of the treatment.Speaking earlier, Dr Tamsir Mbowe, the director general of the PTP and chief medical director of the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH) reminded the gathering that since the inception of the PTP on 17 January, 2007, thousands of different patients from within and outside the country have benefited from the treatment.

"Your Excellency, your confidence in your mission, your absolute trust in God, your boldness in defying the furies of critics, your modesty in victory, your love for humanity, all these and others attest not to an aimless search for clues, but to a firm conviction that you have the knowledge, the medical herbs and the power to achieve great results in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, infertility, asthma, hypertension, and other diseases," he said.

He pointed out that the absence of an effective treatment curative regime for a particular disease in modern conventional medicine does not mean that traditional indigenous medicine is confronted with the same predicament, and urged everyone to reflect on the reality that modern medicine evolved from traditional medicine.

Kebba Badgie, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Sulayman Junkung Jammeh Hospital in Bwiam; and Alhaji Omar Taal, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health expressed similar sentiments.Modou Conteh, one of the treated patients in the sixth batch delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to President Jammeh for restoring their health.

Momodou Saidy, press officer at State House moderated the occasion.Also present at the occasion were Vice President Njie-Saidy, cabinet ministers, senior government officials, relatives and family members of the discharged patients and a cross-section of Gambians.