The traditional healers from throughout the world held a meeting 17 – 20 September 2003 at the Brackenhurst Conference Center in Tigoni, Kenya. Under the sponsorship of PROMETRA the workshop was entitled, “Traditional Healers’ Workshop – Sharing Knowledge, Experiences and Challenges in Providing Treatment and Care to HIV/AIDS Patients”. It is important to recognize the scientific participation present in this workshop. The workshop was very important because it discussed in depth the knowledge of traditional healers that can be used to fight the AIDS pandemic. It outlined the necessity to conduct exchanges to build the confidence and respect that will enable collaboration between traditional and modern medicine. All the participants, especially the traditional healers live in communities affected by HIV and AIDS. Traditional healers live in a world affected by HIV and AIDS. As traditional healers, we are often the most trusted and accessible health care providers in our communities. We care for HIV+ people and their families. They come to us for understanding, medicines and healing. We have varied and valuable experience in treating AIDS related illnesses and accept the great responsibility of continuing to do so. We welcome opportunities to share our knowledge and experience for the betterment of the peoples of Africa and the world. We commit ourselves to supporting one another, working together and developing mechanisms for networking and sharing. RECOMMENDATIONS - Considering that 85% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa utilize the services of traditional healers for the health problems
- Considering that traditional healers hold positions of authority and respect in their communities
- Considering that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is the major development, socio-economic and health challenge to Africa and is destroying its future
- Considering that traditional healers who benefit from training become valuable Information, Education and Communication (IEC) agents
- Considering that various studies have demonstrated that traditional healers have valuable knowledge in the treatment of disease in general and opportunistic infections in particular
This Declaration of Traditional Healers makes the following recommendations: - Involve recognized traditional healers and organizations supervising the activities of traditional healers in the prevention of HIV/AIDS
- Involve traditional healers in collaborative research in the identification of therapeutic solutions for HIV/AIDS
- Strengthen the trust and collaboration between conventional and traditional medicine for the benefit of patients
- Recommend strongly the financial support of collaborative research between traditional and modern medicine
- Training of traditional healers as Information, Education and Communication (IEC) agents for the local populations
- Legalization of traditional medicine in all countries
- Acknowledge that appropriate treatment and care for HIV+ people should include safe and effective traditional healing therapies.
Approved 20 September 2003 in Nairobi, Kenya by the Traditional Healers’ Workshop – Sharing Knowledge, Experiences and Challenges in Providing Treatment and Care to HIV/AIDS Patients. |
