Exploring Pathways to Integrating Traditional Medicine into Indigenous Public Health Programming: Curandero Services for Quechua Communities in Ayacucho, Perú

The integration of traditional medicine into the global framework of Western biomedicine has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a critical strategy for increasing access to healthcare options and improving health outcomes for diverse populations that do not possess the resources to access conventional biomedical care. The WHO 2014-2023 Traditional Medicine Strategy identifies key objectives and directions for integration of traditional medicine, such as the implementation of national policies and regional public health programs, but does not specify evidence-based mechanisms for the design of these integrated programs. Public health programs are very versatile and adaptive to the needs of communities and are a useful strategy for delivering healthcare services, improving healthcare access, and population health outcomes. Using the example of curanderismo, a diverse traditional healing system found across Latin America, this paper will describe the evidence-based development of a detailed program plan for Quechua communities in Ayacucho, Perú and examine the elements that are essential to the successful community-centered implementation of the program