Traditional healers in KwaZulu-Natal have been urged to be at the forefront of the war against the scourge of HIV/Aids and help to quash the perception that raping virgin girls cures Aids.
This call was made by both deputy president Jacob Zuma and KwaZulu-Natal health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize during the launch of the KwaZulu-Natal Traditional Healers Council in KwaDukuza on Wednesday.
Launched with fanfare by traditional healers who marched through the streets of KwaDukuza clad in their colourful attire, the formation of the council is a move to mobilise traditional healers to play a central role in raising a red flag about the dangers of HIV/Aids in the country.
Addressing the launch, the deputy president said traditional healers should be vocal in quashing perceptions that raping virgins would cure HIV/Aids.
He said it had been alleged that people infected with the virus had been told by traditional healers that molesting young girls would cure this disease.
"It is true that many of our people, especially the majority of rural communities, see traditional healers more regularly than medical doctors.
"Research puts this figure between 80 and 85 percent. Given this reality, it becomes critical that traditional healers be at the forefront of the battle as we pull out all stops to stem the tide," said Zuma.
The formation of the council was preceded by the training of more than 6 000 traditional healers in understanding the dangers of HIV/Aids.
This training involved teaching traditional healers how to prevent transmission of the virus from one patient to another by stopping the multiple use of such things as razor blades and needles.
Mkhize also warned traditional healers against spreading information that they could cure Aids, saying such claims were misleading.
He said it was important to regulate the traditional healing profession so that opportunists who made wild and unscientific claims could be weeded out.
Mkhize said there was still a need for further training of traditional healers so that they would be able to identify HIV/Aid symptoms and could then advise their patients to go for testing.
The training of traditional healers was funded by the Aids Foundation of South Africa, which also made a further R100 000 donation towards advanced training in management skills for traditional healers.