Socio-economic challenges faced by traditional healers in Limpopo province of South Africa: conversations from below

Masoga, Mogomme Alpheus; Shokane, Allucia Lulu

doi:10.1177/1177180120956718

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Snowball sampling was used to identify the 63 subsequent herbalists in their networks [ 35 ]. Rapport was created with the herbalists by researchers through establishment of cordial interpersonal interactions on the intentions of the study [ 36 ]. Field excursions were undertaken with the help of the herbalists to locate the medicinal plants in their habitats.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants utilized in the management of candidiasis in Northern Uganda

et al. 2022

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Background The emergence of resistant Candida species to antifungal drugs has led to resurgence in herbal usage globally. However, little is known about anti-candida plants. This study explored ethnomedicinal plants as treatment option for candidiasis in Pader, Northern Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional survey of potential anti-candida plants was conducted using questionnaires, focus group discussions and field observations in March 2022. Sixty-three respondents were selected by snowball technique. The frequencies of respondents/responses were analyzed, associations of respondents’ socio-demographics with indigenous knowledge of herbal usage established by Chi-square (χ2) test using SPSS 27. Informant Consensus Factor was computed to establish level of agreement on herbal usage, and thematic analysis done for focus group discussions. Results Candidiasis is still common and troublesome in Pader. All herbalist had equal chances of receiving and treating candidiasis patients irrespective of herbalist’s gender, age, education level, occupation, marital status and religion (p > 0.05). About 39.7% of herbalists received candidiasis patients weekly (p < 0.01). All herbalists had knowledge on candidiasis. Death (56.8%) and discomfort (36.8%) were the major health risks of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), respectively. A total of 32 potential anti-candida plant species in 18 families were identified. Families of Fabaceae (9 species) and Asteraceae (5 species) had most plant species. Trees (50.0%) and herbs (43.8%) were the dominant life forms. The commonest plants by frequency of mention were: Momordica foetida (26), Sansevieria dawei (20), Khaya anthotheca (15), Piliostigma thonningii (10), Clerodendrum umbellatum (7), Hallea rubrostipulata (5) and unidentified plant, ‘Agaba/daa layata’ in Acholi dialect (5). Plant parts mainly used were roots (56.3%) and stem barks (15.6%) harvested majorly by cutting (46.9%) and uprooting (12.5%). Most respondents (females, 95%) preferred herbal to western medication (p < 0.01) due to its perceived effectiveness. There was high consensus among herbalists on herbal remedies for OPC and VVC (FIC = 0.9). Conclusions Pader communities have diverse indigenous knowledge on candidiasis and prefer herbal medicines to orthodox treatment for candidiasis. However, the herbalists use unsustainable harvesting techniques like uprooting whole plants and cutting main roots. Hence, the need to document such indigenous knowledge before being lost for community usage and scientific validation.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants utilized in the management of candidiasis in Northern Uganda

et al. 2022

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“…The Madagascar issue is a typical example of how the Westerners have negatively looked at IKS as possible remedies to ailments. Commenting on the attitudes of modern health systems on IKS, Masoga and Shokane (2020) and Rugwiji (2019Rugwiji ( , 2008 postulated that "…the African way of dealing with ailments are perceived as evil and satanic." However, this chapter makes use of a plethora of ethno-medical testimonies by people who claim to have used IKS as remedies to curb COVID-19.…”

Section: African Response To Pandemics: a Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Going back to the Roots : Tapping into African Indigenous Knowledge Systems as a Response to COVID-19

Chimininge

2023

Religion and Health in a COVID-19 Context : Experiences From Zimbabwe

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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused chaos around the world, taking its toll on human lives and economic activities. By May 2021, COVID-19 had infected over one hundred and sixty million people globally and killed more than three million, with the highest reported in North America, South America, and Europe in the first year, and the worst surge of the second year occurring in India. However, one of the great mysteries of the COVID-19 has been its relatively smaller impact on the African region, which endures high burdens of other infectious diseases such as HIV and AIDS. While Africa south of the Sahara is home to sixteen percent of the world's population, its share of reported COVID-19 cases is three percent of the global case count, more than a year after the first COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in China (Praag and Arnson, 2021). This low prevalent rate can be explained by underlying differences in the effectiveness and timing of control measures such as low rates of testing, under-reporting, or the use of African indigenous knowledge remedies. This study, therefore, explores the effectiveness of the African Indigenous Knowledge System (AIKS) in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe. The paper adopts qualitative research methods. Data were collected through interview discussions (IDs), newspaper articles, and posters.

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“…There are different studies related to the current study which scrutinize indigenous healing from the South African context. Amongst those studies, Masoga and Shokane (2020) looked at socioeconomic challenges faced by traditional healers in the Limpopo province of South Africa. The study findings suggest that, even though it was confirmed that traditional healing remained core to many local communities in South Africa, most traditional healers experience the ravages of poverty and unemployment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indigenous healing in South Africa: looking for a tree of truth in the forest of illusions

Maluleka

Nkwe

2022

GKMC

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the indigenous healing space in South Africa, by zooming in on the confusions that are faced by young people in the country. These muddles are a result of the country’s colonial and apartheid history which left the population divided between the Western and African philosophies when it comes to health among other things. The recent technological developments which are embraced by some of the healers exposed the space to exploitation by criminal elements. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study used content analysis and interviews to gather data. Findings The results suggest that the indigenous healing space in South Africa is poorly regulated and a fertile breeding ground for criminals. As a result, it is not easy to distinguish between genuine healers and bogus ones. The technological advancement, especially social media, has exposed the space to further exploitation by criminal elements. Originality/value This study paints a picture of the indigenous healing space in the age of technology in South Africa. This study further explains challenges faced by South Africans in navigating philosophical challenges influenced by their colonial past.

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Socio-economic challenges faced by traditional healers in Limpopo province of South Africa: conversations from below

Cited by 6 publications

References 17 publications

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants utilized in the management of candidiasis in Northern Uganda

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants utilized in the management of candidiasis in Northern Uganda

Going back to the Roots : Tapping into African Indigenous Knowledge Systems as a Response to COVID-19

Indigenous healing in South Africa: looking for a tree of truth in the forest of illusions

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