Promoting co-existence of Khoisan primal health care in a western dominated health system

Abstract

Background: Prior to the evolution of modern health medicine, African indigenous persons used their own indigenous health care services. Most have continued to do up to this day. In fact the dependence on indigenous healers and indigenous healing methods is a wide-spread practice in South Africa including urban areas, where Africans prefer indigenous healers as opposed to western health care practitioners. This practice confirms the World Health Organisation's assertions that more than 80% of the African community makes use of the indigenous healers. The Traditional Health Act of South Africa advocates for primal health care to be acknowledged. Prior to 1994 an oppressive and western dominated health care context existed. This however changed when; the new Constitution, as the master law that is governing the country is upholding the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. The Constitution is very clear in stating that everyone has the right to have access to health care services. The National Health Insurance's main aim is about universal health coverage. Hence, the researcher is promoting the co-existence of Primal health care alongside a western dominated context. Purpose: The aim of this research was to explore and describe the co-existence of Primal Health Care practices of a KhoiSan community shoulder to shoulder with a western health dominant system in a rural province of the Northern Cape in South Africa. Furthermore, to propose recommendations for policy makers in health to address this challenge. Design: The proposed method for conducting this research is qualitative explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. Subsequently, the non-probability sampling method was employed. Data was collected through focus group discussions. Data was analysed according to thematic analysis in psychology as described by Braun and Clarke (2012: 60-69).