The present-day diagnosis and treatment model of the South African traditional healer

Abstract

Background:At present, no formal guides or curricula exist to direct and instruct diagnosis and treatment in the practice of the traditional healer. To gain knowledge of how the traditional healer makes diagnoses and offers treatment, the researcher has to rely on the reflections in the literature as well as writings and communications offered by a few authors and the traditional healer organizations. These materials are sometimes insufficient and even misleading and cannot serve as trustworthy information in isolation. Aims:The present study is aimed at determining and describing the present diagnosis and treatment model of the traditional healer. Methods: This is an exploratory and descriptive study in line with the modern-day historical approach of investigation and reviewing research. The emphasis is on the study of present-day documentation, like articles, books and newspapers as primary resources to reflect on the development and promulgation of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act No 22 (2007). By implementing this approach, new information can be uncovered on the present-day diagnosis and treatment model of the traditional healer. The findings are offered in narrative format. Results: The regulations and definitions of the Traditional Health Practitioners Act (Act No 22, 2007) is not effective in evaluating the procedure of diagnosis and treatment of the present day traditional healer, as this act, being promulgated in 2007, is applicable to diagnosis practices and training processes still to be developed. Conclusion: A traditional healthcare model based on scientific research to guide and teach the student of traditional healing and about diagnosis and treatment is non-existent in South Africa. Traditional leaders acquire their current knowledge and understanding of the diagnosis and treatment through various doubtful ways of learning, mostly verbally and in practice from unqualified traditional healing masters or tutors. This means that the pre-modern traditional health know-hows, styles and approaches which are being offered, differ immensely in standards from tutor to tutor.