FAIRMED Relies on Traditional Healers

Traditional healers play an important role, especially in the rural, remote regions where FAIRMED operates. For many people, they are the first point of contact for health issues and enjoy their trust. FAIRMED therefore focuses on collaboration, combining the knowledge and close ties that traditional healers have with their communities with the medical expertise of local health care workers.

In our project in Bankim, we provided targeted training to traditional healers, among other things, to help them recognize possible cases of the neglected tropical disease Buruli ulcer at an early stage. If a case was suspected, they could refer affected individuals to a health facility and, if necessary, accompany them on the way there. They also played an important role during treatment by alleviating fears and motivating patients to complete their therapy. In doing so, they played a crucial role in preventing delays in diagnosis and treatment discontinuation.

And the approach had a clear impact: Of the 93 percent of suspected cases identified by community members with the help of traditional healers and referred to the hospital for further evaluation, 90 percent were confirmed by laboratory tests. At the same time, the number of treatment discontinuations dropped below ten percent. A total of 65 traditional healers participated in the collaboration, 87 percent of whom remained active until the end of the project.

And even after the project’s conclusion, the collaboration continues. In Bankim, traditional healers continue to support health promotion and disease surveillance activities, including for cholera, measles, yellow fever, meningitis, and polio. In addition, FAIRMED has involved more healers in other districts in the fight against Buruli ulcer and, based on the findings from Bankim, has expanded its work with traditional healers to other projects in Cameroon.

A diagnosis should not be a fate. With your donation, you give the poorest people in Cameroon the chance for a healthy future. Every contribution helps to change lives.