Traditional healers given authority to grant sick notes

By Lance Guma
06 September 2006

Traditional healers have now been given the authority to provide sick notes to patients in Zimbabwe in an open admission by government that the formal health sector has completely collapsed. With drugs either not available or too expensive for a population struggling with high poverty levels, traditional healers have grown in prominence. Senior health officials have also issued statements that doctors should be allowed to refer problem cases to traditional healers should they feel alternative methods might help.

Under the new measures the healers will only be allowed to give their patients no more than a week off. Deputy Health Minister Edwin Muguti says, ‘it has become obvious that conventional medicines are not the be all of medicine for if they were, why else would we still have HIV, BP, asthma, all of which have no cure.’ He said it was important for traditional medical practitioners and conventional doctors to work together for the benefit of Zimbabweans.

Behind the government spin however is the clear realisation the formal health sector has collapsed and people long since turned to the healers for help. Rising medical costs and the non-availability of essential drugs have made it near impossible for people to access proper health care. Its reported that 1,500 registered traditional healers operate in the country but only those registered with the Traditional Medical Practitioners Council will be allowed to give patients days off.