Primary mental health care in South Africa

M.A.The research describes the different methods followed by traditional healers and western professionals in dealing with mental illness. The study is intended to provide an in-depth analysis of the process involved when the mentally ill patient consult a traditional healer in the community and a western professional at the local clinic in Emzinoni. The study also intends to examine whether or not the two approaches can complement each other. In this research, it was found that the mentally ill patient would consult either a traditional healer or a western professional worker. In some cases, when the patient has consulted the traditional healer and his/her condition does not improve, he/she resorts to western medicine. The same applies to the patients, who have consulted a western professional. If his/her condition does not improve, he/she consults the traditional healer. The study showed that patients who are mentally ill do not use medicines from both traditional healers and western professional at the same time. The patient chooses the treatment that makes him/her become better. It was recommended in the study that traditional healers and western professionals should develop a referral system