
Local healers in Abuja, Nigeria believe to have discovered a cure for AIDS. CNN's Christian Purefoy reports. By Christian Purefoy Fri February 6, 2009 CNN- www.cnn.com ABUJA, Nigeria (CNN) -- The small room captured the smells from the wild assortment of herbs, barks and powders scattered in bags at the feet of the local medicine man. Using the little available light, Baba Chukuri mixed together half a-cup of water, several crushed roots, and passed it to a woman who had come to him for medical treatment. She drank the mixture and cringed at the bitter taste. Baba Chukuri is one of many traditional healers across Nigeria offering treatments to hundreds of people daily for a variety of illnesses. Many of these illnesses include scientifically incurable diseases like AIDS. "My grandfather was a hunter," he explains, "we used to collect herbs together and he would show me how to make the recipes." There is no scientific basis to Chukuri's claims but speaking in his Hausa language, he explained how he charges less money than hospitals, so local people can afford him. "But also people trust me because they see my medicine works," he says. Seventy percent of Nigeria's population live on less than a dollar a day, forcing many people to come to local healers like Chukuri for affordable treatment. But with the second highest number of AIDS cases in the world, "bogus" cures for diseases like AIDS are also big business in Nigeria. However, Nigeria's Institute for Pharmaceutical <b>...</b>
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