March 12, 2006 The South African Health System is in a state of crisis. It is sagging under the heavy burden of the HIV/AIDS crisis coupled with a severe shortage of health care workers. There are currently on average only 21.9 doctors per 100,000 of the population and 51.5 nurses per 100,000 of the population. It is estimated that up to 90% of some hospital beds are occupied by those suffering from the disease. Even more alarming i/about/media/releases/malaria/mar_06malaria_kenya.cfms the fact that some of our health care workers themselves have fallen victim to the disease resulting in a further depletion of vital resources. The South African health system is clearly desperately in need of help. The government recognising this need spends the equivalent of $100 per person per annum on health. While this is well in excess of what is recommended by the World Bank, it is still inadequate to meet the health crisis facing South Africa . What has been the response of the government to this crisis? The answer has been in the form of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act 35 of 2004, in which the government has formalised the role of the traditional healer through registration, effectively creating the status of a government sanctioned role for traditional healers. A study conducted at the Garankuwa Hospital, showed that between 10,000-20,000 South African's die every year from "poisoning by traditional medicines". Those in support of licensing traditional healers and their practices would argue that modern medicine has just as many dubious practices. However, modern medicine can be subjected to scientific inquiry and regulated tests and therefore the public can be protected. Such inquiry was conducted in America recently on very popular alternative medicines. Despite the wide use and acceptance of these alternative medicines by millions, they were found to be ineffective when subjected to tests. Medicines given by traditional healers vary widely in ingredients and potency. Often traditional healers are reluctant to disclose the content of potions because they are unable to legitimately account for the gathering of the ingredients. For instance, there have been recent reports of traditional healers killing children for their body parts to be used in potions and rituals. Recently in Manamani village, the body of a seven year old boy was found floating in the Dzondo river. His body was missing his lips, eye lids and private parts. The boy is thought to have been the victim of a muti murder. This unfortunately is not an isolated case of someone being murdered; in order for their body parts too be used in traditional healing. In fact the local traditional leader stated that the loss of this young boy's life was the third in the past few years. The locals were so outraged by these murders that they have formed a local council to get too the root of the matter. In contrast to mainstream medical services, traditional healers are a widely available service to all South Africans making it an attractive alternative. In fact, four out of five South African's have access to the services of a traditional healer or a Sangoma as they are widely known. Traditional healing practices which entail a wide range of practices combining the use of potions and consultation of spirit mediums, appear harmless to many. However, Doctors for Life International ( DFL) testify that the use of Traditional healers by individuals in a huge number of cases has resulted in more harm than good. DFL provides medical care to dying AIDS patients by training members of the community to look after them at home. DFL supplement this by providing access to basic medical care through home visits with medical Doctors. Often when DFL attends to a patient, we find that due to poor access to medical assistance and/or a general mistrust of the system, the patient has previously visited a traditional healer. The medicine given, rather than alleviate the suffering of the patient, has caused additional problems such as infections. In other cases, a visit to a traditional healer and participation in a ritual has been the root of the infection with the virus. This is because traditional healers often do not follow adequate sanitation rules when carrying out ritual practices. The supporters of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act would argue that it enshrines in law the cultural beliefs of many Africans and any objection is based upon racism, colonialism and apartheid. DFL would argue for both the protection of the cultural beliefs of Africans as well as their good health. The cultural beliefs of Africans does not entail a blind acceptance of dubious and harmful practices, but those that have been tried, tested and found to be safe. The South African Health system is ailing and in its present state, can prove expensive and inaccessible for many in the population. But this is not a reason to gamble with people's lives by encouraging them to use traditional healers as a legitimate alternative to modern medicine. DFL would like to call on the government to rather focus its efforts on improving the health system, so that it can deal with its burden and be affordable and accessible to all. The blind acceptance of traditional healers is not a progressive step towards integration of African Cultural values, but the signing of a death sentence for many who take this route
'Doctors for Life International' represents more than 1400 medical doctors and specialists, three-quarters of who practice in South Africa. Since 1991 DFL has been actively promoting health care that is safe and efficient for all South Africans. DFL was founded as a South African organization in 1991 and has spread across the globe. DFL is involved in several community projects including orphan care, the care of terminal AIDS patients, malaria prevention and the care of abused women. |