Christi Dietrich, a PhD student at the University of California Santa Barbara, has commended President Yahya Jammeh for his HIV/Aids breakthrough.

In a letter addressed to the Gambian leader, Christi Dietrich requested for President Jammeh’s approval to address his works in HIV/Aids treatment in her dissertation.

Reacting to a documentary on President Jammeh’s HIV/Aids treatment, entitled: The Breakthrough, which was shown at the University of California Santa Barbara, the American PhD student said she was compelled by President Jammeh’s passion for healing and his devotion to Gambians. “I have been studying African medicinal practices for several years,” Christi said, adding that “your story and mission stand out as both persuasive and extraordinary. President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, you are truly a figure who has tremendous potential to sway people, because of your dual role as nation’s leader and healer.

The PhD student pointed out that the head of state “is a in a unique position to dramatically impact the world and the position of The Gambia”.

Christi Dietrich then expressed hope that her academic writing she will do give President Jammeh the alternative venue to get his message out about the role of African traditional healing for the future health of The Gambia, other African countries and world at large.

Also reacting to the Breakthrough, Jude Akadinobi, a PhD lecturer at the University of California Santa Barbara said the films significant may not lie exclusively with searching for a cure for a global pestilence. “Importantly, it raises pertinent questions about the political economy of ‘globalised’ pharmaceutical industries and, boldly, adds nuances to efforts at integrating African systems of healing with dominant frameworks of scientific inquiry.
In incorporating in indigenous elements and cultural logic without apologies or affectations, the film invites closer scrutinizes of African health practices (which are, largely, holistic) and, even, proposes daring paradigms of affordable health care on the continent,” Jude Akadinobi added.