Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2006; 11: 36
The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of traditional healers, biomedical personnel, patients and policy makers regarding the incorporation of traditional healers, as well as how they thought this incorporation could be achieved. Formulate a model for the incorporation of traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa.
A total of 36 traditional healers, 36 nurses, 12 medical doctors, six psychiatrists, six psychologists, 12 pharmacists, 24 patients and nine policymakers were selected according to a non-probable purposive voluntary sample using a set criteria. Data were analysed and the results were used to construct a conceptual framework for the model employing the three phases of Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968: 435). The model was evaluated on the basis of predetermined criteria. Ethical aspects specific to this research applied the guidelines of both the Democratic Nurses’ Organisation of South Africa and the National Department of Health in South Africa. The Ethics Committee of the University of Potchefstroom approved the research.
The constructed model shows the government formulating policy to legalise traditional healing and affords the traditional healers legal authority to be an official partner to the biomedical personnel and avail themselves of the quality healthcare services that fulfil the patients’ health needs using the primary healthcare approach.
The results are in the form of guidelines for the implementation of the model, which were formulated to facilitate the process of incorporation.
The two academic institutions for academic and financial support.
