N'anga's herbs and HIV: New hope for HIV/AIDS management from Zimbabwe's traditional healers

Abstract

Abstract

This study is about traditional healers who claim to have cure and treatments for HIV/AIDS, in Zimbabwe. Three traditional healers were interviewed. The healers talked about how they became traditional healers, why they specialize in treating HIV/AIDS and what they use to treat the syndrome. Two medical doctors were interviewed. One was skeptical of traditional healers who claim to have AIDS cures and treatments. This doctor felt such healers were unethical and had nothing to offer. The other doctor was supportive of traditional healers and was involved with clinical trials to test the healers' treatments. Finally 5 HIV/AIDS patients of healers were interviewed. These patients told of their experiences with healers and claimed that their health had improved.