Transforming the traditional health care sector Over 80 percent of the population is seeking traditional health care options
Over 80 percent of the population is seeking traditional health care options

Over 80 percent of the population is seeking traditional health care options

Runyararo Muzavazi Features Writer
When an individual falls ill many would prescribe that they visit a clinic or hospital to seek a remedy for their ailment. That’s the faith that people have in western medicine.

There is however, a large section of society that has turned to traditional healers and using alternative medicines when looking for a cure for their illnesses.

Statistics released by the Ministry of Health and Child Care on Monday show over 80 percent of the population is seeking traditional health care options.

Due to this high demand for such services, Government has given the green light to traditional healers to establish their own medical aid societies for the convenience of both the client and the service provider.

Pan-African Positive Women’s Coalition Zimbabwe country coordinator, Tendai Westerhof says the initiative is progressive as Government acknowledges the existence of effective traditional medicines.

“This is very good and welcome as Government acknowledges that more than 80 percent of people seek medical services from that sector.

“Government is recognising the existence of alternative medicines. This new development must be seen as an option complementing existing services that have proven to work,” she said.

Ms Westerhof added that it was important for communities to be enlightened on the new developments to curb incidences of abuse of funds.

“There is need to ensure that the affected communities understand the proposed development to safeguard against abuse of public funds and people being jilted.

“There would be a need to ensure that proper training is done to prepare the traditional and faith healers in handling public funds as these are different from tithes and offerings that are normally given in the church,” she said.

Economic hardships and good service delivery at traditional health institutions have left the people with no choice but to go for traditional healing.

“People are suffering and experiencing economic hardships and have different religious and traditional beliefs hence they prefer traditional healers for quick fix solutions as they are desperate to have turnaround in their lives.

“The only challenge is there are some of the medicines and treatment used by traditional healers that might not have been proven to work; their medicinal properties are not known, the containers are not clearly labelled with the quantities and actual ingredients used to prepare the traditional medicines.

“It is a fact that there are many quack medicines and cures being sold in the streets that have flooded the black market and which pose a danger to public health,” said Ms Westerhof.

Incorporating traditional health care and the convectional health care is however, a great way to go according to Ms Westerhof.

“There is need for Government to continue building the capacity of traditional healers together with health care workers on the importance of managing certain ailments that can only be successfully treated in modern health-care facilities.

“There are certain ailments that traditional healers cannot treat or cure. Diseases like HIV/AIDS do not have a known cure and the only thing that has proven to work by stopping the further spread of HIV in a person’s body are the anti-retroviral treatment.

“This must never be compromised by traditional or faith healing as we have seen many people losing their lives needlessly after being advised by traditional healers or prayed for by prophets to abandon their treatment,” she said.

She urged traditional healers to work hand in hand with hospitals in terms of healing ailments.

“Traditional healers must continue to refer their clients to health care services for certain ailments that they cannot treat. Prophets can always play a role in lifting up a person’s spirit when they are sick as the spirit never gets sick but the physical body will need treatment from a health-care facility.

“Prophets, faith healers must encourage those on ART to continue taking their treatment as ART is for life and visiting health-care centres for the usual medical check-ups in the same way many people go to church on a Sunday. How will a client’s medical record be kept or prescribed?” she asked.

According to Ms Westerhof it would be prudent for this initiative to be piloted by a few traditional healers who are ready to establish medical aid facilities to avoid mistakes and inconveniencing patients.

SAYWHAT executive director, Jimmy Wilford said there is need for people to be educated on how the medical aid will work so as to do away with the stigma around traditional healing.

“Looking at the literal operation of a medical aid and traditional healing, there is need for more work to be done to get rid of stigma around the use of traditional medicine.

“There is selective use of traditional medicine in Zimbabwe which calls for a paradigm shift that is led by Government involving all stakeholders,” he said.

He asked questions on whether the health sector was prepared to embrace traditional healing.

“There is need for concerted efforts from religious, traditional and political leadership to be honest with each other and show leadership on this issue.

“Look at traditional male circumcision and how it has moved to be part of the convectional health care.

“There must be something that can be learnt from traditional healing that can improve health service delivery.

“The question that remains is are healthcare workers prepared to embrace traditional medicine?” said Mr Wilford.

“Health seeking behaviour amongst youth is something that various stakeholders have to work on, it’s actually a societal challenge.

“In terms of traditional medicine, the legal provisions have been there before, just that here and there for various reasons it’s making some headlines.

“Young people shape their views on traditional medicine guided by the societal beliefs and how the young people were socialised. Our society stigmatises traditional medicine — possibly its colonial hangover — or it’s more to do with Christianity but there is a general stigma associated with accessing traditional medicine.

“As such, young people decision to access or not access is determined by the level of stigma on traditional medicine in that community,” Mr Wilford said.

Community Working Group on Health executive director Mr Itai Rusike said there is no harm in people taking refuge in both streams.

“Traditional healers can start their own medical aid societies and their schemes should be regulated within the provisions of the medical aid societies. This applies for example in relation to the setting of fees for traditional healers, the setting of standards for registering and monitoring the medical aid societies, registration and supervision,” he said.

Mr Rusike suggested that the practicality of the medical aids be monitored to avoid any inconveniences.

“The issue of standards of governance for the traditional healers’ medical aid societies will need to be tackled as this has been a major weakness in the private medical aid societies.

“The medical aid societies for the traditional healers should satisfy certain criteria of good governance, including the membership, powers and functioning of its Board in relation to the society’s members, for it to be registered, or to stay registered.

“Without this there will be very poor protection of consumer rights in this sector and people will be left without cover but as passive spectators in the process.

“The issues of fragmentation of the traditional healers also need to be addressed.

“The Medical Aid Societies Bill is a great opportunity to recognise and acknowledge the critical role played by the traditional healers in our health delivery system.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Care as the regulatory authority will need to strengthen its enforcement and inspection capacities,” said Rusike.

He added that the issue of ease of payment and affordability are the main reasons for the increased affection for traditional health care.

“The right of choice by about 80 percent of people in Zimbabwe that consult traditional healers is thus linked to the ability to pay for services in the public and private sectors as the majority poor do not have any medical insurance cover hence it’s easier to negotiate payment terms with a traditional healer and in some instances payment does not necessarily need to be cash.

“The general decline of the health services, lack of drugs, obsolete equipment, and long distances to the health facilities and the attitude of health workers have also contributed to some patients seeking services from the traditional healers,” Rusike said.

He suggested that there be an incorporation of traditional health care and the convectional health care for patients to have holistic healing.

“In some developed and developing countries, traditional medicine has been integrated into the public health delivery system at various levels and is receiving official attention and funding, with clear legislative and operational frameworks that ensure that Traditional Medicine is accessible and available to those who need the service,” he said.

Many Zimbabweans consult traditional healers at some point in their lives, indicating that traditional health practice is an important component of the Zimbabwe’s health care delivery system at both the individual and community level.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey