Incorporating traditional healers into health care and health education initiatives

Given the severe shortage of trained medical personnel, especially in rural areas of low-resource countries, many medical anthropologists have suggested incorporating traditional healers into health care and health education initiatives. However, this idea has been controversial. Review the Steinglass article and think about the various of sides of this debate. Should traditional healers be actively incorporated into our response to the HIV/AIDS crisis? Develop a stance, and using evidence from readings, lecture, Ted talks etc., defend your position.

MODEL ANSWER

Medical anthropologists hold the view that alternative medicine and traditional healers have something to bring to the table in terms of contributing towards healing and the general well-being of the society. Steinglass’ article, which focuses on village healers in Africa and the increased fight against HIV/AIDS, describes in length how both the traditional medical system and the westernized medical system are being used to save lives from this disease. This paper provides a detailed discussion regarding the reason as to why traditional healers in rural areas should be integrated within healthcare training and programs. I argue that their inclusion in such practice will go a long way in changing the medical systems within such areas.

 Steinglass, in his article, concludes that even though the integration of both systems to fight the disease is necessary, the cooperation between them is proving to be quite hard because traditional healers believe that nature causes cause most of the illnesses, whereas conventional doctors believe otherwise[1]. That, xxx it is, xxx that xxx is no xxx ground xxx both medical systems. In xxx cases, where xxx the traditional xxx and the conventional xxx share the xxx idea regarding a situation, most traditional healers don’t seem to follow the dictates of the conventional practitioners. Conversely, Steinglass xxx that traditional xxx tend to xxx a holistic approach xxx care to patients’ spiritual and physical wellbeing, something that physicians ignore[2]. Their xxx in the psychological xxx mental wellbeing xxx the patients cannot be understated as they serve as the link for most healthcare providers in rural areas. The little faith in traditional healers by conventional

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