October 4, 2006 EMBARGO: Immediate Release As international health organisations fail to meet their own targets against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB, there is increasing pressure on African governments to incorporate alternative health practices into their national healthcare systems. Doctors For Life International (DFL) is concerned that this is leading to dangerous practices being adopted into already fragile health systems that took decades to establish. Chief among these is an increasing acceptance of unidentifiable and untested substances and practices labelled “traditional medicine” as standard forms of healthcare. In a prominent example, South Africans have been flocking to Durban to buy uBhejane, an untested product which is sold to AIDS patients at an exorbitant price with the promise of a cure. Despite the ludicrous claims made by the seller, a former truck driver, that his recipe came from a dream and contains 89 different herbs, this product has received positive acknowledgement from health department officials and political figures without so much as basic scientific tests. The sellers tell AIDS patients not to use ARVs which are available free of charge while they wait to be cured by this expensive and mysterious potion. Traditional healers in Zimbabwe now have the authority to provide sick notes to patients in an open admission by the government that the formal health sector has completely collapsed. This is despite the admission by the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers' Association (Zinatha) of the existence of bogus healers deceiving the unsuspecting public with claims of curative powers over diseases and conditions including HIV/AIDS. In Swaziland, the government, which reportedly created drug shortages by its failure to issue drug tenders to companies supplying clinics and hospitals, has been accused of publicising traditional and herbal treatments as a remedy for its negligence. The unavailability of pharmaceutical drugs is forcing Swazis to rely on substances touted as traditional medicines to alleviate their ailments. In Malawi, claims made by some traditional healers that they have a cure for HIV/AIDS is reported to be resulting in countless loss of lives. In the West African country of Ghana, the food and drug board has had to issue a call to halt the sale of substances paraded as traditional medicines under new initiatives seeking to incorporate traditional healers into the national healthcare system. In South Africa, unregistered products claiming to cure HIV/AIDS, TB and various diseases are readily obtained from street vendors, traditional healers and many other outlets. Unconventional health practices are increasingly being pushed by those interested in profit-making and who undoubtedly have little interest or knowledge of public welfare. Traditional healers recently marched through the streets of Durban proclaiming their support for the Health Minister’s approach to the treatment of HIV/AIDS. They also voiced their support for Dr. Mathias Rath, another promoter of untested therapies for HIV/AIDS. Dr Rath portrays ARVs as toxic and promotes vitamin therapy as an alternative. He is reported to enjoy a close relationship with the South African Ministry of Health. In a statement released last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) lashed out at Rath’s advertisements, saying they were “wrong and misleading”. “Vitamins and nutritional supplements alone cannot take the place of comprehensive treatment and care for people living with HIV/AIDS,” said the UN. Legislation providing blanket legalisation of non-standardised health practices can be expected to cause damage to all sectors of society including the economy as its proponents are granted licenses to make claims at the expense of the sick, the tax payer as well as employers. The South African Health Minister recently asserted that the Health Department could not instruct South Africans not to use traditional healers. The minister complained that while Chinese traditional medicines were perceived as acceptable, African traditional methods received negative publicity. Several Chinese traditional medicines have been able to achieve some acceptance because their origins, use and actions are documented and continuously subjected to standardised scientific analysis. In addition, the use of Chinese traditional medicines is not necessarily promoted as a replacement to conventional healthcare. This is a vital difference. South African research institutions such as the Medical Research Council (MRC) are starting to document and conduct scientific tests of indigenous plants and herbs used for medicinal purposes. While this is a step in the right direction, it is still a far cry from what is currently promoted as traditional medicine in South Africa today. DFL calls on all responsible sectors of the government to scale up efforts to provide access to safe medical care using evidence-based approaches built on sound science. Any practice, regardless of its origins, which involves human life, mandates the use of the highest standards. Mounting evidence shows that the sick not only need to be granted better access to safe medical care but also guaranteed protection from exploitation. DFL, an association of more than 1000 medical doctors and specialists across South Africa and the globe, remains committed to the holistic health of all South Africans. DFL’s activities include HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, as well as Home Based Care of terminal AIDS patients in rural communities.
'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. |