Ministry of Health, Traditional Healers partner for the health of Batswana

 

Kanye District Health Management Team (DHMT) has urged a group of traditional doctors and healers to encourage patients who avoid hospitals, yet require medical care, to seek appropriate treatment at health facilities.

This was said during the recent African traditional medicine commemoration event in Kanye, where various activities took place, including traditional healers consulting a volunteer from the audience using divining bones.

Short dramas were also performed to illustrate the collaboration between traditional healers and the DHMT, depicting scenarios where severely ill patients were referred to hospitals for further treatment, underscoring the importance of collaborations between the two groups.

Speakers at the event emphasised the importance of collaboration between traditional healers and medical practitioners to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.

DHMT nurse, Margaret Mapiki highlighted the need for traditional healers to submit their medicines for testing, stressing that this step is crucial to ensure the safety and effectiveness of traditional remedies.

Mapiki mentioned that traditional medicine remains a critical component of the healthcare system, playing a pivotal role in alleviating pain and curing various ailments in society.

'Traditional medicine has long been used by different cultures, and it is essential for the Ministry of Health to partner with the Botswana Dingaka Association (BDA) to integrate traditional medicine into conventional health service systems,' she added.

Mapiki also noted that the partnership would help provide cost-effective medicines to populations that cannot afford commercial pharmaceuticals.

She explained that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has adopted a strategy to promote the role of traditional medicine in health service systems, which includes the development of local production and conservation of medicinal plants, as well as the need to regulate the practice of traditional medicine.

'Research also shows that in some African countries, the number of traditional medicine users is overwhelming, mainly due to its accessibility, availability, affordability, and the fact that the consultant is often a local person with a better understanding of the community's cultural norms,' Mapiki concluded.

DHMT Coordinator, Conrad Ntsuape warned traditional doctors about the Mpox outbreak in neighbouring countries and urged them to be prepared to prevent the disease in Botswana.

'These commemorations have been held for 11 years in Africa, we cannot ignore traditional medicine as it has shaped who we are. We also want elderly women who massage pregnant women to come forward so we can teach them the necessary precautions and the importance of maintaining a clean environment,' Ntsuape said.

He encouraged traditional healers to register with the Baalafi Association, emphasising that being a traditional healer is a profession that should be protected, and that registration makes it easier to distinguish legitimate healers from fraudsters.

Traditional doctor, Outlule Thebe said traditional medicine will never lose its value. He noted that they had long fought to partner with the Ministry of Health and also encouraged traditional healers to register with the Baalafi Association.

However, he advised healers not to assist criminals, as this goes against their ethics. When asked whether referring patients to the hospital would infringe on their rights, Thebe responded that it would be assisting them since procedures such as hydrating a patient is beyond the capabilities of traditional doctors.

Evelyn Kefetole, another traditional healer, expressed her gratitude for the collaboration, saying they had pleaded for many years for such a partnership and that it would be fruitful as they would learn a lot from the Ministry of Health. Other healers praised the DHMT, saying that they now feel comfortable referring their patients to hospitals for further treatment.

'People we consult often hide other health issues; they don’t reveal everything to us. Now, even if someone faints during a consultation, we know we can always rush them to the hospital,' another traditional healer, Betty Watshipi said.

'This move will save us from trouble, and we are thankful,' Watshipi added.