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Traditional healers practices and cost implications: a global perspective!
- Dr.Naseem A. Qureshi, Dr.Tariq Ali Al-Habeeb, Associate Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, KSA (16 December 2003)
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Dr.Naseem A. Qureshi, Medical Director(A), Director CME&RC Buraidah mental Health Hospital, KSA, Dr.Tariq Ali Al-Habeeb, Associate Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, KSA
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qureshinaseem{at}hotmail.com Dr.Naseem A. Qureshi, et al.
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We have explored traditional healing in the Arab World [Qureshi et al 1998; Al-Habeeb, 2002; Al-Habeeb, 2004] and would like to highlight some important findings of trans-cultural relevance. Notably, most of the patients with strong religious background first consult faith healers [FHs] for a variety of mental disorders [MDs] and also physical conditions. FHs have relatively poor knowledge about the symptoms of MDs and also have vague diagnostic methods. They more often than not explain the etiology of MDs by magic and witchcraft, evil eye, jinn (demon) and other cultural factors. FHs, almost all of them psychiatrically untrained mainly use two types of treatment modalities; non-invasive, mostly reading from the Holy Quran (in Arabic Roqayah) and invasive, mostly cautery (in Arabic Al-Kawi) which is the last treatment option. A large number of patients rotate between FHs and biomedical doctors including psychiatrists. Similarly, most patients with non-psychotic disorders report substantial improvement but in psychotic patients the initial improvement is always offset by inevitable disorganized behaviour and aggravated course. The consultation fees of the traditional healers range widely. Some of them charge upto 120 US$ per patient. By and large, traditional healers' role in delivering the spiritual health services to the health consumers is recommended by researchers worldwide but there is a dearth of literature on the efficacy of their unorthodox diagnostic and treatment practices. Above all, studies exploring traditional healers' practices usually raise more questions than answer them. In the same vein, the study by Ngoma and colleagues [2003] has in fact raised many important questions. For example, one of the most relevant questions is “are the diagnoses of patients made by biomedical doctors and traditional healers compatible with the diagnoses entertained by this research team?” There are some hard facts about traditional medicine [TM] or "complementary" or "alternative medicine" [CAM], which are constantly calling for scientifically rigorous research in TM/CAM. In developing countries, more than 60% of population use TM at some point in their life. Likewise in industrialized nations, up to 90% of population [such as Germany] use CAM. In San Francisco, London, and South Africa, 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS use CAM/TM. In the United States, US$17 billion was spent on CAM in 2000. In the United Kingdom, annual expenditure on CAM is US$230 million. The global market for herbal medicines currently stands at over US$60 billion annually. Notably, 25% of modern drugs are made from plants first used traditionally. Overall, WHO is promoting safe, effective and affordable TM/CAM worldwide [www.who.int; WHO Fact Sheet, 2003]. Declaration of interest: None References Al-Habeeb TA. Knowledge, beliefs and practice of faith healers in Saudi Arabia. The Arab J Psychiatry 2002; 13: 81-91 Al-Habeeb TA. A pilot study of faith healers' views on evil eye, jinn possession, and magic, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. J Fam Comm Med 2004 [in press] Ngoma MC, Prince M, Mann A. Common mental disorders among those attending primary health clinics and traditional healers in urban Tanzania. British J Psychiatry 2003;183: 349-355 Qureshi NA, Al-Amri AH, Abdelgadir MH et al.Traditional cautery among psychiatric patients in Saudi Arabia. Transcultural Psychiatry 1998; 35: 76-83 Website: www.who.int World Health Organization. Fact Sheet (No authors). Neurosciences (Saudi Arabian J) 2003; 8: 257-259 Address:POBox. 2292, Buraidah Mental Health Hospital & King Khalid University Hospital, Riaydh, Saudi Arabia Fax.+9666-3853010 Mobile:+966-54-283547 |
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