Collaboration between traditional healers and nurse practitioners in primary health care in Maseru Health Service Area - Lesotho
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Authors
Makoa, E. T.
Issue Date
2000-02
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Collaboration , Culture , Health , Modern practitioner , Nurse , Primary health care , Traditional healer
Alternative Title
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.
Description
Citation
Makoa, E. T. (2000) Collaboration between traditional healers and nurse practitioners in primary health care in Maseru Health Service Area - Lesotho, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/17307>