Based on mixed perceptions which were both negative and positive the policy makers
have not been vocal about the process to incorporate traditional healers into the
National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa. Negative views were related
to the denial that traditional healing does provide a cure and the positive views were
Objective: Due to the large number of Black South Africans known to consult
with traditional healers and the influential role they play in the developing
world, this study investigated the approaches of a group of 15 traditional healers
toward the treatment of cleft lip and palate.
Design: An exploratory-descriptive, qualitative research design was employed,
Background: The indigenous health system was perceived to be a threat to the allopathic
health system. It was associated with ‘witchcraft’, and actively discouraged, and repressed
through prohibition laws. The introduction of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act No 22
of 2007 brought hope that those centuries of disrespect for traditional health systems would
T
Key points:
WHO Traditional Medicine
Strategy 2002–2005
raditional, complementary and alternative
medicine attract the full spectrum of
reactions — from uncritical enthusiasm to
uninformed scepticism. Yet use of traditional
medicine (TM) remains widespread in
developing countries, while use of complementary
Ethnopharmacologicalrelevance: Most exoticplantsareusuallylabelledasalieninvasivesandtargeted
for eradication.However,someoftheseexoticplantsplayanimportantroleinthetraditionalprimary
healthcaresectoroftheBapedicultureintheLimpopoProvinceofSouthAfrica.Themedicinalusesof
mostofthesespecieshaveneitherbeendocumentednortheirbiologicalactivityevaluated.
The aim of this article is to shed light on patterns of, and major motives for the utilisation of
traditional medicine to fight the spread of HIV and AIDS in South Africa. This study was
conducted in Soshanguve township in Gauteng. A qualitative approach was adopted by
conducting focus group interviews with fifty-seven traditional healers. Data was analysed
292
PERCEPTIONS OF TRADITIONAL HEALERS ON THE
TREATMENT OF DIARRHOEA IN VHEMBE DISTRICT
MUNICIPALITY OF LIMPOPO PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA
Tshivhangwaho Austin Netshivhulana, Ndivhaleni Anox Masevhe,
Milingoni Peter Tshisikhawe and Amidou Samie
University of Venda, South Africa tshisip@univen.ac.za
South Africa is one of the few nations that have made significant progress to integrate
traditional and complementary medicine into the legislative framework for health
practitioners. Traditional medicine, represented by approximately 190 000 traditional
health practitioners, has sustained the health of millions of South Africans over centuries.
Traditional medicine (TM) is an important and often underestimated part of
health services. In some countries, traditional medicine or non-conventional
medicine may be termed complementary medicine (CM). TM has a long
history of use in health maintenance and in disease prevention and treatment,
particularly for chronic disease.
Background: Bapedi traditional healers play a vital role in the primary health care of rural inhabitants in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. However, literature profiling their social and demographic variables, as well as their traditional healing practices is lacking.