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The Herald, September 8, 1980 

THERE were plans to integrate the services of scientific doctors and traditional healers in Zimbabwe’s hospitals, the president of Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association, Professor Gordon Chavhunduka, said yesterday.

Interviewed in Salisbury after his election as president for a five-year term, he said different wards would be established in hospitals for scientific doctors and traditional healers and patients would go where they liked.

The move would help alleviate the shortage of doctors in the rural areas. “We have pharmacists, psychiatrists and spirit mediums among traditional healers.”

Prof Chavhunduka, who is dean of the Faculty of Social Studies at the University of Zimbabwe, said the n’angas were very influential people in the African communities.

“They are legal, religious and political advisers in their areas.”

Scientific doctors would be taught the importance of the healers so that they could accept them as their counterparts in the exercise.

“Until now scientific doctors have looked down upon n’angas.”

Dr Chavhunduka said his 15-man executive committee, elected yesterday, would soon meet the Minister of Health, Dr Herbert Ushewokunze, to work out how the scheme could be implemented.

The association would also work with Government to set up a research institute where herbs and methods used by the traditional healers would be examined.

The organisation would start a membership campaign in the rural areas by establishing provincial and district branches.

The move would enable aged n’angas who were unable to travel to become members and contribute to the health services in the country.

The two-day congress at Gwanzura Stadium was attended by 3 000 n’angas from all over Zimbabwe.

 LESSONS FOR TODAY

• N’angas/sangomas/traditional healers constituted a big part of society. They acted as the resident physicians before the advent of modern medicine.
• They have vast knowledge of traditional medicine that is commonly sourced from wild plants and trees which in some cases can even treat modern day ailments.
• The Government recognises the work of traditional healers and to this end their operations are governed under the Traditional Medical Practitioners Act (Chapter 27:14), which is monitored and administered by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.