Traditional healers to improve access to quality health care in Africa

Yap Boum,Sylvie Kwedi-Nolna,Jessica E Haberer,Rose R G Leke

doi:10.1016/s2214-109x(21)00438-1

Yap Boum, Sylvie Kwedi-Nolna + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/s2214-109x(21)00438-1

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Abstract

In Cameroon, we like to say, “one finger cannot hold a piece of meat”. In other words, at least two fingers are required to eat a piece even with a fork. This thought is reminiscent of Africans customarily seeking health care from both traditional and western medicine. Traditional medicine has been used for the treatment of various diseases since before the advent of western medicine in Africa. In South Africa, for example, 80% of the population seek health care from traditional healers.1 It thus seems evident that they keep playing a major part in African health systems.

Highlights

In Cameroon, we like to say, “one finger cannot hold a piece of meat”
In The Lancet Global Health, Radhika Sundararajan and colleagues report on the use of traditional healers to improve HIV testing in Uganda.[2]
Sundararajan and colleagues implemented a cluster-randomised trial to determine the effectiveness of traditional healers delivering HIV testing in rural southwestern Uganda, a high HIV prevalence setting

Summary

Introduction

In Cameroon, we like to say, “one finger cannot hold a piece of meat”. In other words, at least two fingers are required to eat a piece even with a fork. Traditional healers to improve access to quality health care in Africa In Cameroon, we like to say, “one finger cannot hold a piece of meat”.

Results

Conclusion