Mbabane, Swaziland - July 11, 2003
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The majority of Swazis reside in rural areas where access to western doctors and facilities in not feasible. This, along with the Swazi embrace of traditional culture, results in at least 85% of the population regularly visiting traditional healers, who are scattered in rural areas. The Swazi people hold tremendous respect for the traditional healers and they will often take their word over that of a Western doctor. Traditional healers represent a significant portion of healthcare in Swaziland, but what is their understanding of medicine, and more specifically, of HIV?
These are the questions that Patricia Klein and I hope to answer in our meetings with the traditional healers. We have now met with six traditional healers and have interviewed them extensively about their work and about their views on healthcare, working with Western doctors, and their understanding of the pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV. Most of the traditional healers treat HIV, and with 38.6% of the population infected, it is imperative for us to learn more about the traditional healers’ understanding of this pandemic. Besides learning an immense amount from the traditional healers, we have educated them on the basics of HIV, transmission, and anti-retroviral drugs which will soon make their way to Swaziland.
Victoria Shekhtman, Med 2 (Class of 2006)