Traditional healers in Ekurhuleni have welcomed the City’s intervention to include them in the fight against tuberculosis (TB).
The metro’s divisional head for communications and media relations, Nhlanhla Cebekhulu, said: “Traditional healers are key in the fight against TB because they are the first point of contact for most patients who prefer traditional healing when ill.”
Traditional healers have been in existence for many decades, if not centuries. They also serve as social workers and counsellors in a traditional way.
“Patients who believe in traditional medicine sometimes associate their TB symptoms with something that needs traditional medical interventions.
“They choose not to get screened for TB and remain undiagnosed or are diagnosed but do not take their TB treatment,” explained Cebekhulu.
Chairperson of the Traditional Healers Practitioners Committee in the Southern Region of Ekurhuleni Gogo Elizabeth Bass spoke at a training session for traditional healers held at Germiston Library Auditorium, in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Health (GDH), recently.
Bass welcomed the intervention and said the training equipped them with the knowledge they need to save lives.
The training session was facilitated by assistant director of advocacy, communication and social mobilisation at GDH Tshifhiwa Tshifhango.
“Traditional healers were taught the signs and symptoms to look out for regarding TB. They were urged to encourage their patients to adhere to their TB medication,” said Cebekhulu.
“They were also told to motivate their patients to continue taking their treatment until their health-care giver tells them that they can stop,” added Cebekhulu.
Cebekhulu explained that some of the symptoms and signs traditional healers were taught about included coughing that lasts three or more weeks, coughing up blood, chest pain, pain when breathing and unintentional weight loss.
“Fatigue, fever, night sweats, chills and loss of appetite are some of the signs traditional healers were told to look out for. World Tuberculosis Day is observed each year on March 24,” said Celekhulu.
