Abstract
Background: Based on the premise that Africans in rural areas seek health care from traditional healers, this study investigated a collaborative model between traditional healers and the national Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) programs across seven endemic foci in seven central African countries by measuring the model’s contribution to HAT case finding. Method: Traditional healers were recruited and trained by health professionals to identify HAT suspects based on its basics signs and symptoms and to refer them to the National Sleeping Sickness Control Program (NSSCP) for testing and confirmatory diagnosis. Results: 35 traditional healers were recruited and trained, 28 finally participated in this study (80%) and referred 278 HAT suspects, of which 20 (7.19%) were CATT positive for the disease. Most cases originated from Bandundu (45%) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and from Ngabe (35%) in Congo. Twelve (4.32%) patients had confirmatory diagnosis. Although a statistically significant difference was not shown in terms of case finding (p = 0.56), traditional healers were able to refer confirmed HAT cases that were ultimately cared for by NCSSPs. Conclusion: Integrating traditional healers in the control program of HAT will likely enhance the detection of cases, thereby, eventually contributing to the elimination of HAT in the most affected communities.
Highlights
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) or Sleeping Sickness is a vector-borne parasitic disease, endemic in 36 African countries with 60 million individuals at risk of getting the disease [1]
Case finding remains a major challenge faced by National Sleeping Sickness Control Programs (NSSCPs) [5]
In Africa, traditional healers are recognized as key players in health care due to their cultural-focused approach in health promotion and disease prevention [7] and 85% of the population in Sub-Saharan African countries seek traditional medical services [8]
Summary
Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) or Sleeping Sickness is a vector-borne parasitic disease, endemic in 36 African countries with 60 million individuals at risk of getting the disease [1]. In Gabon, according to the activity report of the National Program for the Control of Parasitic Diseases in 2015, the coverage rate of households in active screening was 33% and 34% in the Republic of Congo. Based on the premise that Africans in rural areas seek health care from traditional healers, this study investigated a collaborative model between traditional healers and the national Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) programs across seven endemic foci in seven central African countries by measuring the model’s contribution to HAT case finding. Method: Traditional healers were recruited and trained by health professionals to identify HAT suspects based on its basics signs and symptoms and to refer them to the National Sleeping Sickness Control Program (NSSCP) for testing and confirmatory diagnosis. Conclusion: Integrating traditional healers in the control program of HAT will likely enhance the detection of cases, thereby, eventually contributing to the elimination of HAT in the most affected communities
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