Guidelines to promote proper use of African traditional medicine in people living with HIV in selected districts of Limpopo Province
type: CreativeWork
description: African Traditional Medicine is the sum total of skills and practices based on beliefs and experiences of traditional to African cultures that are used to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in Africa in both rural and urban communities. Indeed, it was the only source of medical care for a greater proportion of the population (Romero-Daza, 2002). There are strong indications that traditional health care systems are still in use by the majority of people not only in Africa, but across the world. In African traditional communities, traditional healers are well known for treating patients holistically. In many of these communities, traditional healers often act, in part, as an intermediary between the visible and invisible worlds, between the living and the dead or ancestors, sometimes to determine which spirits are at work and how to bring the sick person back into harmony with the ancestors. The study consisted of two phases, namely, the empirical phase and the development of guidelines phase. In Phase 1, which was the empirical phase, a qualitative approach was employed. The study utilised phenomenological and explorative designs. The study population comprised of male and female traditional healers as well as people living with HIV (PLWH) in selected districts of Limpopo. Ten traditional healers were purposively selected and three PLWH were interviewed. Data were collected from participants using semi-structured interviews. Field notes as well as observations were also used as methods of data collection. Data analysis was done using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Several ethical principles were adhered to in order to maintain the anonymity of the traditional healers and PLWH. All participants voluntarily participated in the study. Furthermore, informed consent was sought from participants prior to the commencement of the study.…
abstract: African Traditional Medicine is the sum total of skills and practices based on beliefs and experiences of traditional to African cultures that are used to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in Africa in both rural and urban communities. Indeed, it was the only source of medical care for a greater proportion of the population (Romero-Daza, 2002). There are strong indications that traditional health care systems are still in use by the majority of people not only in Africa, but across the world. In African traditional communities, traditional healers are well known for treating patients holistically. In many of these communities, traditional healers often act, in part, as an intermediary between the visible and invisible worlds, between the living and the dead or ancestors, sometimes to determine which spirits are at work and how to bring the sick person back into harmony with the ancestors. The study consisted of two phases, namely, the empirical phase and the development of guidelines phase. In Phase 1, which was the empirical phase, a qualitative approach was employed. The study utilised phenomenological and explorative designs. The study population comprised of male and female traditional healers as well as people living with HIV (PLWH) in selected districts of Limpopo. Ten traditional healers were purposively selected and three PLWH were interviewed. Data were collected from participants using semi-structured interviews. Field notes as well as observations were also used as methods of data collection. Data analysis was done using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Several ethical principles were adhered to in order to maintain the anonymity of the traditional healers and PLWH. All participants voluntarily participated in the study. Furthermore, informed consent was sought from participants prior to the commencement of the study.…
author: Mashamba, Lufuno
language: en
keywords: African traditional medicine (ATM), Traditional healers, People living with HIV, Adulteration of ATM, Development of guidelines
date published: 2024-05-17
date modified: 2026-07-27T21:57:38Z
provider: University of Venda
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Venda