Speech on Traditional Health Practinioners Bill By Florence Batyi MP (Health Spokesperson)
2004-09-09. In order to fully understand the controversy around this issue, one needs to grasp the difference between traditional and biomedical medicine and practices. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines traditional medicines as diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and/or mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness.
Biomedical medicines, on the other
hand, is usually associated with diseases of the physical body only,
and are based on the principles of science, technology, knowledge and
clinical analysis developed in Northern America and Western
Europe.
The proposed Traditional Health Practitioners Bill's impact on the current health system will be quite profound, to say the least. This will be the first time that the practise of traditional healing will be legally recognised, despite the controversial debates surrounding the issue. Yet, in a country like South Africa, where the majority of people have consulted a traditional healer, legalisation of this profession does need serious consideration. Most rural communities consult traditional healers, and training, registration and legalisation of these healers can only be to the benefit of all the stakeholders. With registration, the traditional healing practice can be monitored, and those who claim to be healers without any training and accreditation can be stopped from generating any harm. Quite frankly, South Africa is experiencing a national HIV/AIDS-crisis and until there is no cure, we need to use all the help we can get.
However, the following issues need serious consideration:
1.The religious, spiritual and metaphysical sphere of traditional healing needs to be separated from the physical matter (like plants) in order to test and approve traditional medicine for public use.
2.Tesources and infrastructure need to be made available for the testing of traditional medicine2, instead of continued ignorance and prejudice to traditional healing practices.
3.The issue of traditional surgeons need to be made clear, as the Bill does not provide clarity on this specific issue.
4.Although the Bill has set some minimum standards for the qualifications of traditional healers, the issue of experience need to be addressed. Many traditional healers have years of experience, but no formal training.
The proposed Traditional Health Practitioners Bill's impact on the current health system will be quite profound, to say the least. This will be the first time that the practise of traditional healing will be legally recognised, despite the controversial debates surrounding the issue. Yet, in a country like South Africa, where the majority of people have consulted a traditional healer, legalisation of this profession does need serious consideration. Most rural communities consult traditional healers, and training, registration and legalisation of these healers can only be to the benefit of all the stakeholders. With registration, the traditional healing practice can be monitored, and those who claim to be healers without any training and accreditation can be stopped from generating any harm. Quite frankly, South Africa is experiencing a national HIV/AIDS-crisis and until there is no cure, we need to use all the help we can get.
However, the following issues need serious consideration:
1.The religious, spiritual and metaphysical sphere of traditional healing needs to be separated from the physical matter (like plants) in order to test and approve traditional medicine for public use.
2.Tesources and infrastructure need to be made available for the testing of traditional medicine2, instead of continued ignorance and prejudice to traditional healing practices.
3.The issue of traditional surgeons need to be made clear, as the Bill does not provide clarity on this specific issue.
4.Although the Bill has set some minimum standards for the qualifications of traditional healers, the issue of experience need to be addressed. Many traditional healers have years of experience, but no formal training.
