Experiences and views of HIV-positive patients regarding Sesotho traditional medicines for the management of HIV/AIDS in Morija, Lesotho

In Lesotho various traditional medicines have been reported to aid in the management of HIV/Aids, although the evidence is yet to be tested scientifically. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe experiences of HIV-positive/Aids patients using Sesotho traditional medicines for the management of HIV/Aids and related symptoms. An explorative qualitative research design was used in which a sample of 17 HIV-positive adults aged between 18 and 49 years was purposively sampled and interviewed individually. Two themes emerged from the data, namely: (1) experiences of using Sesotho traditional medicines and (2) views on Sesotho traditional medicines. The study concluded that Sesotho traditional medicines were believed and understood to play a role in the symptomatic management of HIV/Aids, even though the actual role they play is yet to be determined. It is recommended that follow-up studies focusing on traditional healers/herbalists, the use of specific traditional medicines/herbs, potential interactions between traditional medicines and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as well as the health-seeking behaviour of HIV-positive/Aids patients could be done to further improve knowledge of Sesotho traditional medicine use