Traditional Healing

Around 80% of the population in Africa usesKwaZulu-Natal and North West. The national offices is
traditional medicines according to the World Healthin Johannesburg.
Organisation (WHO). There is one traditional healerRole of traditional healers in HIV and AIDS: Due to
for every 500 people in Sub-Saharan Africa, butthe importance of traditional healers in South African
there is only one medical doctor for every 40,000society the government needs to actively involve
people. It has been estimated that the whole industrythem in its HIV and AIDS Care, Management and
is worth well over R250 million with 70% of theTreatment Plan. This means providing training for
South African population consulting traditional healers.traditional healers on the science, prevention,
Traditional Healers' Council: As a result of newtreatment and care of HIV and AIDS. This will be on
legislation, the Traditional Health Practitioners Bill, anthe understanding that traditional healers are not
interim National Traditional Healers' Council wasallowed to diagnose or treat HIV and AIDS using
established. The registration and regulation of alltheir own methods. They can only support the care
types of traditional healers (including inyangas,and treatment plan endorsed by the government.
sangomas, traditional birth attendants and traditionalTraditional medicines and HIV and AIDS: With many
surgeons) will be oversee by this Council.people using traditional medicines to treat the
It is estimated that 200 000 traditional healers will besymptoms of HIV and AIDS, lots of claims have
eligible for registration. Once the new law comes intobeen made that some of these traditional medicines
full effect only registered healers will be allowed tocan even cure HIV disease. These claims are totally
practise medicine. The new law does not allow forincorrect, as no treatments, including Antiretroviral
traditional healers to diagnose or treat terminalmedicines (ARVs), have been shown to cure HIV and
diseases, including HIV and AIDS, and cancer.AIDS. There is also evidence that several common
Traditional healers who are registered will be able totraditional medicines do more harm than good.
claim fees from the medical aid schemes of theirOnce a person has been infected the virus that
patients. The register is still in the process of beingcauses HIV disease stays in a person's body forever.
set up and there have been some legal challenges toARVs work by attacking the virus and stopping it
the new legislation, which has delayed its fullfrom making lots of copies of itself. A person starts
enactment.to feel better as the number of viruses in the body
The Bill states that traditional healers who are notis reduced. ARVs do not remove the virus totally
registered and attempt to practise medicine, or claimfrom the body; as soon as a person stops taking the
to be able to treat or cure a terminal disease, will bemedicines the number of the viruses starts to
fined or imprisoned. Traditional Healers' Organisation:increase again.
The Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) is theSome herbal treatments may help by attacking the
biggest umbrella organisation of traditional healers invirus directly or by stimulating a person's immune
South Africa and was established in 1970. It hassystem, which then attacks the infected cells.
nearly 70 000 members, 25 000 of whom live andHowever there is very little proper scientific research
work in South Africa. Membership includes aabout the safety and effectiveness of these herbal
compulsory one-day workshop on THO activities andtreatments. It is therefore vital to ensure that these
a five-day workshop on traditional primary healthmedicines are properly researched first to ensure
care. Members also need to produce a goodthat the safe and effectives ones can be identified
character reference. The provincial offices of theand used, and the ones that can harm people are
THO are located in Mpumalanga, Limpopo,withdrawn.