KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE GAUTENG MEC FOR HEALTH, MR
A.H.M PAPO, MPL, ON THE OCCASION OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL
MEDICINES DAY.
30th August 2013, Duduza Multi-Purpose Centre.
Thokozani Bo Gogo! Thokozani Bo Gogo!
Kgosi Mampuru from Sekhukhune Royal House;
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Health in the City of Ekurhuleni,
Clr Makhosazane Maluleke;
Chief Whip of Sedibeng District Municipality, Clr Christina Sale;
Local Councillors present;
Members of the National Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council
present;
Gauteng Member of the Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council,
Mrs Kubayi Mashele;
Chief Director for Ekurhuleni Health District, Ms Nongezo Mekgwe;
Senior Managers from the Gauteng Department of Health and the City of
Ekurhuleni;
Managers and Representatives of other government departments; and
Traditional Health Practitioners from various organisations.
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This day symbolizes the seriousness in which government respects and
recognizes African Traditional Medicine.
Today is indeed a far cry when African Traditional Medicine was
relegated and denigrated to quackery and backwardness. When we
observe this day we assert ourselves by acknowledging our history and
heritage without any feeling of inferiority, or being apologetic to those
who accuse us of being uncivilized and barbaric.
Government acknowledges that African Traditional Medicines have been
used for centuries by our fore-bearers in our continent. It was for this
reason that government sought to institutionalize it within the South
African Health System.
It is often stated that 80% of people throughout the continent use
traditional medicines to prevent and treat diseases and other health
challenges they face in their daily lives.
This led to an acknowledgement of the significance of traditional
medicine as a whole, including African traditional medicine, which was
evident as far back as 1978 at the historic international Conference of
Primary Healthcare at Alma Alta.
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It was at this stage that a recommendation was made that governments
give high priority to the incorporation of traditional health medicine and
proven traditional remedies into the national drug policies and
regulations.
Even in industrialized countries such as Australia, France, Germany,
and the USA there is a growing recognition of the important role that
Traditional Medicine plays in overall health care. It was in this light that
our government enacted the Traditional Health Practitioners Act No. 35
of 2004.
The purpose of this Act is to establish an Interim Traditional Health
Practitioners Council of South Africa; to provide for the registration,
training and practices of Traditional Health Practitioners in the Republic
in order to serve and protect the interests of members of the public who
use the services of traditional health practitioners.
The Interim Traditional Health Practitioners Council of South Africa has
already been established. Policy guidelines on African Traditional
Medicine have also been finalized and these will contribute to the
improvement and accessibility of healthcare delivery.
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The next step for all us is to institutionalize mechanisms which will
promote and enhance a continuous research platform to improve safety,
efficacy and quality of African Traditional medicines.
This is very important if we hope to improve accessibility to health care
through the production of researched and standardised medicinal
products that will have undergone thorough validation. That is why the
policy on African Traditional Medicines promotes identification and
development of research priority areas through scientific, rigorous and
ethical research protocols.
This research and development needs to be co-ordinated in order to
ensure safety and broader efficacy. In order to support this initiative, our
government has already established a directorate to manage work
related to traditional medicine within the National Department of Health.
In Gauteng this work is being co-ordinated at central office with the
support of districts.
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Program Director,
I would like to commend you as Traditional Health Practitioners for
collaborating with the Department of Health and municipalities especially
in Tshwane and Ekurhuleni in ensuring that no deaths were recorded
during the initiation season this year.
We therefore encourage other Traditional Leaders and Traditional
Health Practitioners who perform initiations to collaborate with the
Department of Health and their respective municipalities in ensuring that
no initiate dies from attendant initiation procedures!
At the beginning of this current term of office government outlined its
health priorities. These include among others;
 Reduction of deaths of pregnant mothers, infants and children;
 Reduction of the burden of disease due to TB,
 Reduction of communicable diseases such as high blood pressure
and sugar diabetes.
There is no doubt that traditional health practitioners have an important
role to play in health promotion and the prevention of illnesses. The
relationship that you cultivate with your patients put you in a better
position to complement our health promoters.
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In this regard, I refer to promotion of healthy life-styles, healthy diet, and
even responsible sexual behaviour.
When pregnant women consult you encourage them to attend AnteNatal Clinics before 20 weeks of pregnancy so that they can be
assessed for conditions such as high blood pressure.
When newly born babies are “strengthened” as part of family rituals you
also have an opportunity to drive home the importance of immunization
against preventable illnesses.
Traditional Health Practitioners have to familiarise themselves with
symptoms of conditions such as TB in order to refer their patients
appropriately. Surely there is sufficient room for co-operation, especially
at Primary Health Care level.
To illustrate the points I have just made, allow me to relate to you about
a study which was conducted in Hlabisa health district in KwaZulu-Natal
about 13 years ago.
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This study was about the role that was played by Traditional Health
Practitioners in Directly-Observed Treatment Support (DOTS) teams for
TB.
According to the Medical Research Council Policy Brief (December,
2001), full consultation with all levels of health authorities and with
representative organisations of traditional healers was undertaken to
explore the impact of involving traditional health practitioners in efforts to
reduce the scourge of TB especially regarding support of patients on
treatment. Twenty-five traditional healers volunteered to participate in
the study and attended two 1-day training workshops on the
management of TB.
These traditional healers were integrated into the existing communitybased TB DOTS programme, where options for supervision then
consisted of the local health clinic, Community Health Workers and lay
people (usually shop keepers), and traditional healers. In order to
determine the acceptability of the traditional healers as DOTS
supervisors, patients who completed treatment, defaulted or transferred
were traced.
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Between 1999 and 2000 in the three study sub-districts, 53 patients
(13%) were supervised by traditional healers and 364 (87%) were
supervised by clinics, Community Health Workers or lay people.
Overall, 89% of those supervised by traditional healers completed
treatment, compared to 67% of patients who were supervised by others.
The death rate among those who were supervised by traditional healers
was 6%, whereas it was 18% among those who were supervised by
others. Interestingly, none of the patients who were supervised by
traditional healers transferred out of the district during treatment, while
5% of those were supervised by others did.
The results of the study I have just mentioned should lead to exploration
of formal discussions between organisations representing traditional
healers and those representing the health authorities with the aim of
developing a better understanding between the groups and fostering a
closer working relationship.
Districts could also consider recruiting traditional health practitioners
where appropriate as DOTS supporters and even in programmes such
as HIV Counselling and Testing.
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The relationship between government and Traditional Health
Practitioners should be nurtured at all levels and clearly defined in order
to produce better health outcomes.
Before I take my seat, I need to state that Government is aware that
there are some sections of Traditional Health Practitioners who are
apprehensive about institutionalization of African Traditional Medicine
within the health system. If they have nothing to hide they have nothing
to fear. This is aimed at ensuring protection of both practitioners and
users. Those who involve themselves in unsavoury practices in your
name will be exposed and isolated.
I do not have to regale you with anecdotes and examples of people who
make all sorts of promises in newspaper averts and flyers while preying
on those of our society who are desparate and gullible, thus making
themselves vulnerable to charlatans.
It is therefore important to use available channels of communication
between government and yourselves. The Department of Health through
its structures is entrusted with providing leadership, guidance, support
and advice during this crucial time of transforming the African Traditional
Medicine System.
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As government we recognise the existing associations of the Traditional
Health Practitioners and will work with all of them to bring about the
common objective of institutionalizing African Traditional Medicine within
the public health system.
Your associations should therefore be ready to work with us in ensuring
that there are unbiased democratic Traditional Health Practitioners
structures whose primary objective is to ensure equitable access to
information and services of the Department of Health.
I trust that we will continue working together to improve the health status
of our people.
Ends.
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