Collaboration between traditional healers and nurse practitioners in primary health care in Maseru Health Service Area - Lesotho

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the existing relationship between traditional healers and nurse practitioners in Maseru Health Service Area in Lesotho and also to determine why people consult traditional healers. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to investigate the relationship between traditional healers and nurse practitioners and also to determine why people utilize the services of traditional healers. The study was limited to Maseru Health Service Area in Lesotho. Data was collected from twenty-seven (27) nurses from nineteen (19) clinics and from thirty (30) traditional healers from the same health service area. Data from traditional healers was collected using semi-structured interviews while nurse practitioners were given a questionnaire to complete. The study revealed that there was no formal relationship between traditional healers and nurse practitioners. Support for traditional healers was revealed to be limited, for example, only four (14.8%) nurses had a programme for traditional healers while twenty ( 66.7%) traditional healers did not have any contact with nurse practitioners. Involvement of traditional healers in primary health care at grassroots level has therefore been very minimal. The reasons why people utilize traditional healers were found to be as follows: • When people think they have been bewitched. • Traditional healers can tell the actual cause of disease • Failure of modern practice • For social problems According to the study, both traditional healers and nurse practitioners felt that collaboration between traditional healers and nurse practitioners was essential because it would enable planned referral of patients from one group to another where necessary; it would also facilitate exchange of ideas and knowledge for the benefit of the people served. Recommendations on collaboration and on support systems are given in Chapter Six.