Strategies of interfacing traditional health and western health in fight against Coronavirus

Favour Siema; Thizwilondi Madima; Justice  Makhanikhe

doi:10.36096/brss.v6i2.587

Authors

Favour Siema University of Venda
Thizwilondi Madima University of Venda
Justice Makhanikhe University of Venda

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36096/brss.v6i2.587

Keywords:

Traditional Health Care, Primary Health Care, Conventional Medicine, Culture, Indigenous Knowledge

Abstract

The study focused on strategies of interfacing traditional health and western in fight against Coronavirus. Experts contend that government agencies and health officials should collaborate with traditional healers rather than oppose them to successfully tackle COVID-19. Various stakeholders appear to be undermining South Africa's traditional health care system, which served as the indigenous people's major source of healthcare. The indigenous health care system and its methods are being demonized by youth and certain scientific institutions because they are linked to witchcraft and other wicked customs. The researcher noticed that, in the twenty-first century, there appeared to be an idea of interfacing Traditional Health Practices (THPs) with Western doctors. It appears that basic healthcare systems were provided by traditional medical professionals in civilizations prior to the arrival of colonialism. The objective of the study was as follows, to determine strategies of interfacing traditional health and western health in the fight against COVID-19, The study adopted an employ African healing theory and appreciative Inquiry. The study used a qualitative research design and was exploratory in nature. Data was generated using observation and semi-structured interviews as data collection instruments. The finding of the study showed that some people consult traditional healers during the night because they do not want to be seen, and some still believe that traditional healers consist of witchcraft. The study recommend that education could make our community conscious of the conventional health care system and work to make youth and scientific groups be able to know and understand the importance of traditional health care system, integration of traditional health and western healthcare system in the fight against coronavirus and Funding traditional health care system.

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