mozambique: Healing People -- and a Country

In some parts of Africa, traditional healers are the first available person a sick person turns to when facing a health emergency. These healers are often a central component of the primary health care system. In Swaziland, for example, 85 percent of people with HIV/AIDS consult a traditional healer at some time during their sickness. One response to the HIV/AIDS induced African health crisis is that traditional healers are increasingly asserting their role in society and demanding recognition and incorporation into primary health care networks being established on the continent.