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I remember when our awareness of what was going on in Africa started to bubble and we were just beginning our foray into doing something about it. One thing that we heard often was about the evil medicine men. Maybe it’s because we have healers back home and they don’t scare me, but I’ve always found the partyline a bit harsh. Here in Calgary, everything is so new. There’s no reverence for old or traditional things. Our healers back home saved my mom from sunstroke as a little girl and she still gets ointment from them for things.
There was little doubt in my mind that these medicine men clearly know more about the world they live in than I did. However, I could see the challenge here. The fact is people are dying of AIDS. No one wants (wanted) to get tested in the first place, because not knowing was frankly a better option. Then at least the community wouldn’t shun you. So instead of going to the clinic you go to the healer. I get that. The problem comes in when the healer is making people sick/sicker. And then there’s the issue of the money being spent- sometimes in the place of food for the family. And if they are already being treated with ARVs… well then it’s really bad. They aren’t eating because they’ve used up the food money. So the meds can’t work anyway. And then the healer tells them to stop the ARV regime (because it’s making them sick, which it actually is, while it’s doing the job of saving their life). And once you’ve stopped ARVs it’s likely your body has developed a resistance to it so it’s not so easy as just starting up again… It’s messy stuff.
I get why there should be an open discussion with healers who run the risk of doing harm. But I’ve never felt that the right tact was to demonize them. Instead, I think they should be respected. A relationship should be established and they should be consulted and brought into the discussion.
That’s just what’s being done in Nigeria. Check it out.
