South African Traditional Healers Research Articles

Traditional health practitioners in South Africa

The South African Traditional Health Practitioners Act1 defines traditional health practice as performance of a function, activity, process, or service based on a traditional philosophy that uses indigenous African techniques and principles that include traditional medicine or practice, including the physical or mental preparation of an individual for puberty, adulthood, pregnancy, childbirth, and death. Traditional health practitioners who are registrable under this Act include herbalists (izinyanga or amaxhwele), diviners (izangoma or amagqirha), traditional surgeons (iingcibi) who mainly do circumcisions, and traditional birth attendants (ababelethisi or abazalisi).

Traditional healers, HIV/AIDS and company programmes in South Africa

This paper explores the organisational structures of traditional healers, outlines their explanations of HIV/AIDS, and discusses how they can be integrated with company programmes. The South African Traditional Health Practitioners Act seeks to register, regulate and promote traditional healers, but its ability to do this depends on strong, formalised associations of traditional healers. The different forms of traditional healer groupings in South Africa are described along with the implications that their organisational structure has for knowledge, competition and service standards. Traditional healers' diverse and fluid beliefs about HIV and AIDS are explained together with ways in which cooperation between companies, allopathic medicine and African traditional healing practices could be promoted in workplace responses to HIV/AIDS. It is suggested that such collaboration should focus on 'windows of compatibility' rather than on overall agreement. Moreover, it is argued that any response to HIV/AIDS must be embedded within a wider set of agreements, the most critical being a genuine process of referral between the traditional and allopathic healthcare systems. Companies are in a strong position to initiate such reforms, and this would support the professionalisation of traditional healers as well as help coordinate a wider and more effective response to the HIV epidemic in South Africa.

Beliefs and practices of Black South African traditional healers regarding hearing impairment

The study investigated beliefs and practices of Black South African traditional healers regarding hearing impairment. Fifteen Black South African traditional healers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. An exploratory-descriptive research design incorporating a mixed qualitative/quantitative method was employed and data were collected via individual interviews. Traditional healers reported being consulted for what could possibly reflect a variety of audiological and otological problems, and using a wide range of diagnostic and treatment techniques. Although the healers mentioned infection, organic deterioration, noise exposure, and congenital aspects as cause of hearing impairment; they tended to anthropomorphise the cause of the disease, and the reason for becoming ill was often sought in a supernatural realm. These findings have implications for culturally sensitive practice, collaboration between traditional healers and audiologists, sharing of information regarding hearing impairment, mutual referrals, and involvement of traditional healers in hearing health care.

Approaches of South African traditional healers regarding the treatment of cleft lip and palate.

Due to the large number of Black South Africans known to consult with traditional healers and the influential role they play in the developing world, this study investigated the approaches of a group of 15 traditional healers toward the treatment of cleft lip and palate. An exploratory-descriptive, qualitative research design was employed, which involved the use of standardized, semistructured interviews, conducted with the assistance of an interpreter who was fluent in several African languages. Interviews were conducted outdoors in places in which traditional healers usually consult with their patients. These areas were in the fields close to the traditional healers' homes or under a highway bridge in the Johannesburg inner city. Individual interviews were conducted with 15 African traditional healers who had been practicing in their callings for at least 1 year. Traditional healers interviewed had treated one to six persons with a cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. Most informants believed that clefts were caused by the ancestors, spirits, and witchcraft. A variety of plant and animal products were used to treat these conditions and were augmented by spiritual resources from the ancestors. All except one healer had undergone formal training, although they had received no specific training relative to cleft lip and palate. Most participants reported referring patients to Western health care practitioners who were referred to as modern doctors but did not receive reciprocal referrals from these professionals. Patients generally consulted with traditional healers because this approach was part of their culture. These findings have important implications for health care professionals as well as traditional healers in terms of cross-cultural consultation, collaboration, and information sharing with regard to cleft lip and palate; the potential use of traditional healers in primary health care and education; and further research.

Medicinal bulbous plants of South Africa and their traditional relevance in the control of infectious diseases

Natural products are becoming more important in modern-day society as man is moving away from synthetic products, which can be detrimental to the environment and human health. Scientific research on the healing properties and bioactivity of natural compounds, especially of plant origin, has been extensive particularly in the Western world. However, a rich heritage of floral biodiversity is found in developing countries. South Africa, a country with a strong history of traditional healing, hosts a variety of around 30 000 plant species. Indigenous bulbous plants of importance to South African traditional healers mainly belong to the Amaryllidaceae and Hyacinthaceae families. A number of these plants have particular uses as disinfectants and anti-inflammatory agents, although there is still a lack of scientific research regarding their unique pharmacological compounds.

The status of bark in South African traditional health care

Bark products constitute nearly one third of plant material used in South African traditional medicine. Since the large majority of South Africans make use of traditional health care, bark is fundamental to the traditional pharmacopoeia. In this review we consider the status of bark resources, as reflected by the literature, and highlight the need for multi-disciplinary research to address the lack of available information on plant species used for their bark. The supply of bark to the medicinal plant trade has been rendered non-sustainable, due to increased user populations and reduced indigenous vegetation. Whilst conservation of the South African flora is paramount, natural resources cannot meet the current, nor foreseeable, demand for bark. Alternatives such as tree propagation and cultivation, strategic management and plant part substitution are discussed. Effective implementation of these action plans is reliant on the dissemination of existing and new knowledge. The prevailing scenario of a non-sustainable bark supply has impacted negatively on the quality of bark products available to the consumer, as problems of incorrect identification and purposeful adulteration arise. To facilitate monitoring and standardisation, phytochemical references should be established for bark authentication, and used in conjunction with morphological and anatomical characters for identification in the case of unknown specimens. The importance of bark in South African traditional health care warrants attention from all research sectors to conserve the country’s rich floral heritage, and the integrity of traditional health care.

The status of bark in South African traditional health care

The status of bark in South African traditional health care

Antibacterial, anthelmintic and anti-amoebic activity in South African medicinal plants

Hexane, ethanol and water extracts of plants used by South African traditional healers for treating stomach ailments were screened for antibacterial, anthelmintic and anti-amoebic activities. To evaluate antibacterial activity, the disc-diffusion assay was used against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative species. Minimal inhibitory concentration values were determined with a microdilution assay. Ethanolic extracts showed the greatest activity, and Gram-positive bacteria were the most susceptible microorganisms. The free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was used in two different assays to evaluate anthelmintic activity. A microdilution technique was employed to investigate anti-amoebic activity against the enteropathogenic Entamoeba histolytica. These assays were suitable for the screening of a large number of extracts at one time. Several plants exhibited significant activity against these test organisms.

Pharmacological effects of Agapanthus africanus on the isolated rat uterus

The Agapanthus africanus plant is used by South African traditional healers as a phytomedicine in herbal remedies to treat pregnancy-related ailments and to augment labour. It has already been shown that an aqueous extract of A. africanus causes smooth muscle contractions in the isolated uterus and ileum preparations. In the present study, the effects of an aqueous extract of A. africanus leaves was examined on receptor systems involved in contraction of the uterine smooth muscle in order to determine the mechanism of its pharmacological effect relevant to its ethnic use to augment labour. The extract was tested on the isolated rat uterus preparation. The aqueous extract of A. africanus leaves was found to exhibit agonist activity on uterine muscarinic receptors and to promote the synthesis of prostaglandins in the oestrogenized rat uterus. Some pharmacological justification for the ethnic use of A. africanus as a herbal oxytocic in prolonged labour has been provided.

The experience of an AIDS prevention program focused on South African traditional healers

A national HIV/STD prevention program focused on traditional healers was started in South Africa in late 1992. An initial group of 28 healers (the ‘first generation’) was trained in HIV/AIDS and STD prevention. These 28 in turn trained a total of 630 additional healers (the ‘second generation’) in formal, week-long workshops within seven months of the first workshop (this figure grew to 1510 healers by the end of the tenth month). This paper reports results of an assessment of the impact of training during the first seven months of the program. The second generation appeared to be as well trained as the first, if we can rely on measures such as reporting correctly how HIV is transmitted and how HIV transmission can be prevented. Healers also reported advising their patients to use condoms, and demonstrating methods of correct condom use. Healers were initially recruited through national, formal associations of traditional healers, of which there are several in South Africa. Yet several months into the program, healers were critical of donor groups working with and through such associations. Most preferred that membership in such associations not be a prerequisite for participation in donor group-supported collaborative programs. The present program accordingly began to explore the possibility of recruiting healers through existing, indigenous associations of diviner-mediums known as impandes.