Unheard Voices - Perceptions Of African Traditional Health Practitioners On Their Healing Systems And The National Regulatory Framework

BackgroundThe abolition of the Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1957 and the declaration of the Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) Act (No 22 of 2007) was key in efforts to recognise THPs. Concerns over the safety of products, practices and therapies used by THPs attracted calls for regulations, giving birth to the 2015 regulatory framework.AimsThis paper aims to describe THP perceptions on their healing systems and the regulatory framework.MethodsThe qualitative research approach used involved focus group discussions sampled from five Kwazulu-Natal district municipalities. 50 Participants were recruited using district THP councils and a snowballing technique. Data collection tools included case summaries and a focus group discussion guide. Data was analysed using Braun & Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis framework (2017).ResultsThemes identified included THPs' recognition of traditional healing as an ancestral calling and this would complicate regulating them based on demographical requirements, that ancestors do not recognise. Most of the registration requirements were perceived as undermining African beliefs. THPs expressed that the registration requirements used colonization techniques to enforce registration and used registration as a tax collection instrument. Every participant acknowledged that registration would assist in their recognition and legitimization.ConclusionGenerally unhappy about the registration requirements, which will complicate their regulation. The issue of self-regulation would certainly warrant further research especially since obeying ancestors and ancestral spirits supersedes any law or order. For an appropriate THP regulation process, the perceptions, and recommendations of THPs would have to be catered for. If regulations fail to respect and recognise THPs, they could regulate them into oblivion. Therefore, further research to refine nuances from what has been shared from the studied FGDs is warranted.