Epidemiologists are urging the Ministry of Health to consider engaging traditional healers in the nation’s healthcare system to confront emerging disease outbreaks.
Uganda, located in a disease transmission belt characterized by dense forests and porous borders, faces susceptibility to various outbreaks, including Ebola, Cholera, and Marburg.
This vulnerability is attributed to population movement and the climate, underscoring the importance of proactively addressing these health threats.
Epidemiologists, experts in investigating and analyzing disease distribution within communities, play a crucial role in understanding health factors and devising strategies for disease prevention and control.
However, a prevailing trend during outbreaks is citizens turning to traditional healers before seeking medical assistance, contributing to disease transmission within communities.
Dr. Alex Ario, Director of the Uganda National Institute of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, emphasized the need to recognize the influence of traditional healers during the 9th National Field Epidemiology Conference.
He highlighted findings from various epidemiological investigations, particularly during outbreaks like Ebola in Mubende and Kassanda districts, revealing that many people initially seek remedies from traditional healers.
Dr. Ario emphasized the Ministry’s role in educating traditional healers on basic disease control methods during outbreaks to assist the population.
Brenda Nakafeero Ssimbwa, an epidemiologist with the Ministry of Health, observed after the Ebola outbreak that while traditional healers were aware of the disease and raised awareness, their infection control practices were inadequate, exposing them to infections.
She noted that those affiliated with associations were more receptive to learning and had better infection control practices.
During investigations, Nakafeero and her team interacted with 165 traditional healers, including traditional birth attendants, bone setters, herbalists, and spiritualists, in Mubende and Kassanda.
A traditional healer succumbed to the Ebola outbreak, likely contracting it from a patient who visited their home.
Dr. Brian Agaba, another epidemiologist, emphasized the importance of government and non-governmental organizations addressing mental health disorders in both survivors and the community during disease outbreaks.
Following the 2022 Ebola outbreak, epidemiologists noted a high prevalence of mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The recent conference showcased two cohorts of new epidemiologists presenting 43 studies and presentations. The event, themed “The Role of Field Epidemiology in Strengthening Public Health Emergency Response in Uganda,” aimed to fortify the country’s response to public health crises.