Nurses as advocates between Western and traditional health care practices in the Republic of South Africa (RSA)

Abstract

The RSA, like most Ajkican countries, have two health care systems. The most visible one is the Westernised hospital and/or clinic based treatment of diseases. This system was introdzrced by the colonisers andperpetcrated by the czrrrent formal education programmes of most health care professionals in the RSA. Traditional African medicine has existed since time immemorial and continues to treat vast nzrmbers ofpeople. Both these health care systems will be briefly discussed Then the role of n~~r siens t he RSAS health care systemfs) will be examined. Mostprofessional nurses ave knowledgeable about both Western and Traditional health care systems, and can thzrs sene as advocates between the Western health care system (fveqzrently provided by foreigners), and the traditional healerjs) as >veil as to the patients/clients, together with their families. Althoz~gh all health care providers need to asszrme responsibility for providing comprehensive health care, the professional nurses in the RSA seem to occzrpy the pivotalposition in the health care system, to be able to co-ordinate all available health care services to the beneJit of the clients and the country. However; only nzrrses who are knowledgeable about these prospects and who are szrficiently empowered to make and implement meaningful decisions, will be able to sz~cceed in providing the best possible accessible and acceptable health careservices to the largestnzrmber ofclients - to theultimate benefit of the entire countly.