2-9
Difficulties in training traditional healers as health workers:
Traditional healers
often are very set
in their ways. Like
modern medicine,
traditional medicine
includes many practices
that are helpful, others
that are useless, and
some that are harmful.
Traditional healers, like
many modern doctors,
nay be reluctant to
examine critically the
practices they have
always followed. They
may be unwilling to
omit or change harmful
but profitable practices.
(These may include
the misuse or overuse
of certain modern
medicines, sometimes
combined with herbal
medicines.)
This ‘herb doctor’ was chosen by his village to train as a
health worker. His art of healing adds much to the science
of health care. Today, he combines aspects of modern and
folk medicine. (Mexico)
A common difficulty with traditional healers relates to their approach to problem
solving. Most traditional healers rely, to a large extent, on the psychological
‘power of suggestion’. This is a very important part of the healing process as they
know it. The traditional healer convinces the sick person and his family that he or
she knows immediately just what the illness is, what caused it, and how to treat it.
This immediate and absolute certainty is a key to traditional healing.
But the science of modern medicine calls for just the opposite approach.
The scientific healer begins with doubt, not certainty. He starts by asking
questions, collecting related information, and systematically considering and testing
possibilities (see Ch. 17).
It is often difficult for persons used to traditional healing to learn the more
scientific approach. As established healers, they may find it especially difficult to
ask for advice or suggestions, or to admit when they have trouble diagnosing an
illness.
An instructor who is unaware of all this, may treat these persons as if they were
ignorant or dishonest. This makes it more difficult for both to admit their doubts or
mistakes. In our own experience, however, we have found that when an instructor
understands and appreciates the local forms of healing, most misunderstandings
with traditional healers can be avoided. When this is so . . .
Traditional healers can become some of the most
capable and dedicated primary care workers.