Cape Town - Traditional healers were afforded the chance to raise questions and concerns related to the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out in the province, in which they had been prioritised alongside health-care workers.
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo met with traditional healers from Gugulethu, Nyanga, Crossroads, Philippi, Manenberg, Mandalay and Mitchells Plain at the Lentegeur Hospital conference centre on Monday for the Traditional Healers Vaccination Roadshow.
Mbombo said the campaign was part of the reach-out to health-care workers, inclusive of traditional healers, as part of the phase 1 vaccine roll-out.
Mbombo said: “It's easier with health-care workers because they are the ones who are the vaccinators, so the process of educating them is easier. But with traditional health practitioners not part of this, ... we have to do all of this before we start the roll-out.”
A presentation on the importance of vaccines and the current vaccine strategy in the country was presented to the traditional healers, followed by a question-and-answer session. This was the second engagement with traditional healers.
Traditional healer Monwabisi Yamani, from the Western Cape Traditional Inyanga Forum, said healers needed to be prioritised during phase 1 as they worked with mostly seniors suffering from ailments.
These consultations usually took place in small rooms, placing traditional healers at risk of contracting the virus.
“If we can work hand in hand with the department, it would be much better. But we need more time to understand what it is all about and to get training.”
Yamani said they would be encouraging the use of the vaccines alongside traditional medicine, much as with other chronic ailments.
“Traditional medicine on its (own) doesn't mean that it's not curing. It cures but there are other things that we need to do (in) a scientific way. Then we do transfer our patients to the scientific doctors.”
Primary health-care manager Zethu Xhapile said: “We’re having this engagement, this discussion, because we’re talking about vaccinating and against a new condition, so people need to be aware of what vaccination is about ... Being concerned or anxious about a new vaccine or any new product, for that matter, is a normal response.”
Cape Argus