01.04.2010 Sangomas and Herbalists

Introduction to Traditional Medicine and Healers

Never having had any particular faith in our complementary medicine 'colleagues', having to deal with the effects of the Zulu Witch doctors edition of alternative therapy, I could easily succumb to a bit of homeopathy or acupuncture (!). Most of you wouldn't mind a few needle pokes, impotent drops of herbal concoction or a few pungent smells, if the choice were between the latter or a toxic therapeutic Enema made of detergent??

The local practice is a universal enema of 'sunlight' soap, Colgate toothpaste plus or minus boot polish in varying amounts shoved up the rectum, to cure all sorts of troubling ailments. Do these manufacturers know how useful and diverse their products really are. Doubt it.
The enema, to be fair, is widely practised method of 'cleansing' but I doubt they usually consist of such toxic ingredients.
The Inyanga (herbalist) will make up a imbiza (medicine from inyanga - the enema usually) which can be taken for a variety of reasons. Men may take it for sexual performance enhancement but little do they know, it may instead lead to frank haematuria and malignant hypertension secondary to severe renal toxicity.
It is invariably given to children with gastroenteritis as a treatment for 'anal sores' - and this is the bane of my life on the paediatric ward :( The number of wretched babies/children that come in with potassium levels incompatible with life at both spectrums (K > 7 and <2) is phenomenal.
Infact, to make any diagnosis you must merely ask two vital questions:
1. What is mothers HIV status and
2. When did you give the zulu medication?

Broadly speaking, for those who are not so familiar with South African healers, they seem to take two major forms. The Iyanga, as mentioned above, who is the herbalist, priest, psychologist of sorts. The other is the iSangoma, who is a diviner and can make diagnoses. iSangoma are also closely entwined with the ancestors and are able to communicate with these long demised souls and project to the followers their state of mind on different affairs.

My one and only contact with a iSangoma so far, has been in our outpatient department. He had come to seek treatment for dysuria and penile discharge. I was quite enlightened to learn that penile discharge is one of the few ailments that cannot be treated by traditional means, unlike HIV, strokes, cancers and other generally grave and incurable disease ;)