“Traditional healers and modern doctors do not understand each other because they learn different things” South African traditional health practitioners training with regards to hearing impairment

Abstract

Traditional health practitioners offer a variety of interventions for people who choose traditional health practice services. Hearing impairment, which may cause significant difficulties in communication, employment and learning, is a condition for which people consult with traditional health practitioners in South Africa. The training undergone by traditional health practitioners sets the tone for the types of intervention for persons with hearing loss. As there is a paucity of literature in this area, 15 traditional health practitioners were interviewed about the training they had undergone and more specifically with regards to hearing loss. The content thematic analysis which was conducted on the interview transcripts revealed that the training of traditional health practitioners has a significant supernatural component which includes a spiritual possession through which the ancestors pass on the inspired knowledge on how to assess and treat clients. The calling to become a traditional health practitioner is reportedly a divine vocation and cannot be refused. During their apprenticeships, traditional health practitioners learn to interpret the dreams sent by the ancestors and learn to hone their skills in the identification of appropriate treatments for hearing loss. The findings of this study suggest the need for open communication between traditional and modern health care providers so that traditional and allopathic health practitioners can learn from each other so as to provide an effective and appropriate intervention for their clients.