The Guardian: Healers cure mistrust in Guinea’s health system after horrors of Ebola
“…Traditional healers, who in this West African country mainly forage for remedies in the forest, are believed to be the first port of call for around 80 percent of sick Guineans. A dire shortage of health workers means there is not much competition for these men and women who live in the communities they treat. They are thought to have divine powers, and enjoy unquestioning trust. This trust proved crucial during the Ebola outbreak, when traditional healers were persuaded to refer patients to treatment centers and were taught how to stop it spreading. Now, the government is considering trying to integrate traditional healers into the health care systems more generally in Guinea, to help fight other diseases including malaria, cholera, meningitis, and measles…” (Maclean, 9/28).