The challenges of involving traditional healers in HIV/AIDS care

Abstract

We read with interest the review article The challenges of involving traditional healers in HIV/AIDS care by E Mills S Singh K Wilson et al. There is now an opportunity for physicians trained in western medicine to engage in fruitful dialogue with other health-care practitioners viz. traditional healers complementary and alternative medicine practitioners. This is not only in matters of HIV/AIDS alone but also in other disease conditions where the traditional care practitioners have claimed success. The burden of HIV/AIDS is highest in sub-Saharan Africa and several of the countries in this region are resource poor and many people live below poverty line. In these resource-poor areas many people have the cultural belief that there is a spiritual or psychological component to any form of disease or illness hence their reliance on prayers alternative and traditional health-care practitioners. Apparently affordability contributes to these people accessing alternative or traditional practitioners though it has not been proven to be cheaper on the long run. Both of us have many years experience of working in developing countries. We have seen patients who came very late into hospitals with serious complications and in life-threatening conditions because the traditional healers were managing them or implementing some traditional practices at home. (excerpt)