PMB Sangomas to offer HIV tests

In an effort to reduce the rate of undetected and untreated cases of HIV infections, local traditional healers are being trained to carry out HIV tests and do counselling at their homes.

A non-government organisation called iTeach, which operates out of Edendale Hospital, is working together with local traditional healers and the KZN Department of Health to train traditional healers to become qualified HIV testing counsellors.

The operations manager of iTeach, Sandile Hlongwane, said 11 traditional healers from around Pietermaritzburg have so far been trained and are now practising HIV testing counsellors.

Hlongwane said their aim is to bring testing to the people and added that they want to make HIV testing accessible to everyone even those who choose to visit a traditional healer instead of a clinic.

Hlongwane said the programme is still in its research phase and that when the research is complete and the project given the final go-ahead by the KZN Health Department, it will be rolled out to other provinces.

One of the traditional healers who now works as an HIV counsellor at her home in upper Edendale, Sibongile Madlala, said she joined iTeach in 2010.

Madlala said she was referred to iTeach where she was trained along with 10 other local traditional healers.

She said she is now a qualified HIV counsellor and has been practising from the local clinic and at home.