An Evaluation of a Holistic Approach to Managing the Integration of the Traditional Healer into the Western Biomedical Practice : A Study of Patients of the Khayelitsha Medical Practice in the Western Cape Province ( South Africa )

Abstract

Some of the challenges that face a single healing system include ignoring critical aspects of an individual’s complete health such as the significance of a person’s culture, the patient’s peace and mental stability. Healing systems must contain personalized factors that are specifically tailored to deal with a person’s life and in particular aspects such as culture is imperative to treating a person holistically. There are negative implications for employing one kind of healing system and a single healing system could cause delays in the patient’s healing process. Western biomedical practice is of the belief that spirituality has no place in the field of medicine. However, there is no single means of treatment that can be used to attain complete health, therefore healing must be holistic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the holistic approach of managing the integration of the traditional healer into the western biomedical practice at the Khayelitsha medical practice in the Western Cape Province.