Traditional healers say referral system with public clinics needs to work both ways

Health-e News Traditional healers say referral system with public clinics needs to work both ways Traditional healers say patients they refer to public clinics can fall through the cracks because the two health systems don’t communicate effectively.

Nozuko Nkunzi, a traditional health practitioner from Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, says South Africa’s plans to integrate traditional medicine into the public healthcare system will mean little without a clear referral pathway.

“Traditional health practitioners are expected to refer patients into the public health system, yet there are no clear referral pathways, shared protocols or practical training on how practitioners from the two knowledge systems should work collaboratively,” says Nkunzi.

Her concerns come after South Africa marked African Traditional Medicine Day on 31 August, with the Department of Health highlighting the role of traditional medicine in the country’s healthcare system.

She says government has provided some practitioners with training on patient care, hygiene, prevention and health-system collaboration.

But according to Nkunzi they are sometimes left without the basic materials needed to apply what they have learnt.

“Training without resourcing transfers responsibility without transferring capacity,” she says.

Nkunzi says cooperation can also be undermined by the attitudes traditional practitioners and their patients encounter at public health facilities.

“Some healthcare workers discourage patients from using traditional medicine, sometimes describing it as unsafe or even ‘demonic’,” she says.

According to Nkunzi this can discourage patients from telling healthcare workers about the traditional medicines they are taking.

Referrals don’t always work both ways Patrick Mdletshe, deputy chairperson of the KZN Civil Society Forum says traditional health practitioners are increasingly recognised as partners in South Africa’s response to HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections.

Mdletshe says there are examples of successful collaboration around TB.

He says traditional health practitioners taking part in some programmes are encouraged to screen clients for TB symptoms and refer those who may have the disease to public health facilities.

He says the Department of Health has also provided referral letters to traditional health practitioners.