Historic first Traditional Healers’ Clinic is opened

MVEMBILI – History was made yesterday here. A clinic specifically for traditional healers has been established in the country and it is reportedly the first of its kind in the African continent. This clinic will be independently run by traditional healers with help from government.

They will admit and treat patients including those with HIV/AIDS and other ailments with their traditionally made medications.
The historic clinic is situated in the northern Hhohho region, near the Horo police station adjacent to the government clinic here.

President of the Traditional Healer’s Organisation (THO) Nhlavana Maseko, during the official launching of the clinic, said it would start operating in three weeks time. He said members of the public would be treated and admitted, if necessary, by professional traditional healers that were specially selected as qualified to run the clinic.
“The clinic’s personnel will be composed of the country’s best traditional healers and the medication to be provided ill be tested internationally before being introduced for use.

For starters, we have three kinds of medications that have already gone through testing and international approval that will be available in the clinic. The medication include; Sindiso (tested in Germany), Mlamuli and Sparolin. All these medications are very powerful and treat a variety of diseases,” said Maseko.
The THO  president however explained that the clinic will also be regulated by the ministry of health, which will also play a role in providing some of the working material such as protective gloves, hospital beds and other medication.

“We will work hand in hand with the ministry of Health and today it was just the cutting of the sod (kuhlaba lusoyi).
“Since we have now been given authority to operate the clinic, we are yet to perform our traditional dances as a thanksgiving to ancestors,” said Maseko.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Benedict Xaba warned the traditional healers that there should be no person, especially women that will die while giving birth.

He stressed that such incidents should be reported within a period of seven days at the ministry.
“Such incidents will be much against the Campaign on Accelerated Reduction in Maternal Mortality in Swaziland (CARMMS), that was recently launched by Inkosikati LaMbikiza.
It is in the spirit of this campaign that we insist that women should not die while giving birth,” said the minister.