Traditional Healers Join HIV Fight in Rural South Africa

In Bushbuckridge, South Africa, traditional healers like Shadrack Mashabane are being trained to conduct HIV testing and counseling. This initiative aims to involve traditional medicine practitioners in public health efforts to increase HIV testing and reduce stigma. Researchers will expand the program later this year to train more healers.

In the rural town of Bushbuckridge, South Africa, the walls of Shadrack Mashabane's hut are adorned with traditional fabrics, but a white box containing an HIV testing kit stands out among the herbs and medicines.

Mashabane is one of at least 15 traditional healers trained by University of Witwatersrand researchers in a pilot study to conduct HIV testing and counseling. This effort aims to ensure as many South Africans as possible know their HIV status.

Later this year, 325 more healers will be trained and certified as HIV counselors. Researchers will compare HIV testing rates between healers and clinics to measure effectivity.

While most traditional healers were already knowledgeable about HIV, stigma remains a significant barrier in many communities despite free antiretroviral medication. The project hopes to leverage the trust people place in healers to change these attitudes.

This initiative is vital because South Africa has one of the highest HIV rates globally. Although HIV prevalence fell overall according to a December government study, it rose among 15 to 19-year-old girls due to relationships with older men.

In Bushbuckridge alone, around 2,000 traditional healers serve a population of 750,000, offering both traditional and spiritual services.

Mashabane said patients found it hard to believe he offered HIV testing, often requiring him to show his certificate.

The testing process includes consent forms and follow-ups to ensure positive patients receive treatment from local clinics. Mashabane often accompanies patients to make the process smoother.

Another healer, Florence Khoza, has also been trained. She now advises patients to test for HIV while treating them for other ailments.

Khoza noted that many patients fear the stigma of pharmacy visits, so she often collects HIV medication for them.

Senior research fellow Ryan Wagner believes this approach could lead to the end of new HIV cases in communities like Mpumalanga, encouraging broader training nationwide.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)