Lesson from Makueni

 Jacinta Kanini, has been a witch doctor for the last 22 years having practised both in Kitui and Makueni Counties. [Stephen Nzioka, Standard] 

The cooperation between traditional healers and public health facilities in Makueni County is commendable. The traditional healers have been taught how to identify diseases that require specialised treatment in hospitals.

As a result, patients with cancer, diabetes, depression and TB have been referred to hospital by witch-doctors.

Notably, traditional healers are popular in most parts of the country. But while they can treat some ailments, they lack the know-how to handle many other diseases. Some people believe in these healers so much that they do not visit hospitals. Such people sometimes end up being killed by diseases that could have been treated in hospitals. The cooperation between hospitals and traditional healers, therefore, saves lives.

Other counties should learn from Makueni and work closely with traditional healers.