Collaboration with traditional healers in HIV/AIDS prevention and care in sub-Saharan Africa

A literature review of information on traditional healers and HIV/AIDS

This is one of UNAIDS' key documents in their best practice series, and therefore explores a number of initiatives in order to make recommendations for future best practice in the field.

A background is given to the role that traditional medicine plays in HIV and health care generally in the region. Examples of collaboration are given and some reviewed according to UNAIDS best practice criteria:

effectiveness
ethical soundness
efficiency
sustainability
soundness

As a result, criteria for project selection and lessons learned are detailed. The report ends by recommending research into the relationship between traditional healers and public health sectors, as well as networks for information sharing between healers and practitioners from the two sectors.

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Collaboration with traditional healers in HIV/AIDS prevention and care in sub-Saharan Africa