Interfacing Traditional and Western Health Care Systems in the Fight Against Coronavirus

Abstract

The study focused on exploring the factors affecting the interfacing traditional and western health care systems in the fight against Coronavirus COVID-19. Experts contend that government agencies and health officials should collaborate with traditional healers rather than oppose them to successfully tackle COVID-19. Various stakeholders appear to be undermining South Africa's traditional health care system, which served as the indigenous people's major source of healthcare. The indigenous health care system and its methods are being demonized by youth and certain scientific institutions because they are linked to witchcraft and other wicked customs. The researcher noticed that, in the twenty-first century, there appeared to be an idea of interfacing Traditional Health Practices (THPs) with Western doctors. It appears that basic healthcare systems were provided by traditional medical professionals in civilizations prior to the arrival of colonialism. The study adopted an employ Inquiry and African Healing Theories. The study used a qualitative research design and was exploratory in nature. Data was generated using observation and semi-structured interviews as data collection instruments. Purposive sampling was employed in the selection of knowledge holders among the chosen communities. The collected data was analysed thematically.