Emily Bell — Traditional vs Western Medicine in Tanzania

The Who Cares? Blog theme for October is traditional versus western medicine.

The vast majority of Tanzanians have never seen a doctor. In part, this is due to the extreme shortage of doctors (one doctor per 30,000 people), transportation challenges and other issues of access. Another important factor is that many Tanzanians – particularly those in rural areas – rely on traditional healers or “witch doctors.”

Why do people turn to traditional healers? It is partly a matter of cultural and religious traditions, but may also be due to lack of alternative medical choices. For some individuals, it is not an “either or” choice. They might consult a traditional healer first and ultimately seek care from a medical clinic when their symptoms do not go away.

The consequences of delaying medical care can be dire. According to a recent article by PBS, “Deaths at Birth Highlight Tanzania’s Healthcare Challenges,” one woman and six infants die each hour due to birth-related complications. Without access to medical care, many women give birth in their homes, relying on traditional healers or health workers with little training. If anything goes wrong, the health consequences can be dire. In response, the government is providing medical training to traditional healers. An article in The New York Times pointed out the importance of respecting cultural traditions when considering how those advocating western medical interventions might collaborate with traditional healers. The article highlighted an effective childbirth program in Peru that respected local traditions.

In a Touch Foundation study on the Tanzanian health systems, focus groups consisting of health workers, traditional healers and patients explored several issues, including traditional health services.  Participants noted that skilled health workers should educate traditional birth attendants on prevention of disease and danger signs so that traditional birth attendants know when to refer patients to a medical facility. Simple interventions such as provision of sterilized delivery kits and clean knives for circumcision can also have positive health impact.

While community reliance on traditional healers can result in delayed or poor care, researchers are also studying traditional healing practices to determine which remedies might produce positive outcomes that can be scientifically proven.

For example, in Tanzania, the World Bank is supporting the Tanga AIDS Working Group, which is a partnership between doctors and traditional healers who have developed treatments for AIDS-related opportunistic infection. The group has “treated over 4,000 AIDS patients with herbs prescribed by local healers. The impact has been most significant in alleviating the opportunistic diseases brought on by the AIDS virus. The patients who have responded most positively have lived longer, by up to five years.” UNAIDS described their work as “an outstanding example of how positive results can be achieved in the fight against AIDS by using local, culturally relevant expertise and resources to provide low-cost care and prevention for people living with AIDS.”

Emily Bell is Head of Advocacy and Communications at the Touch Foundation.