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<p>African traditional medicine provides treatment for various illnesses and is widely used across Africa since it is readily available and affordable. Concepts of informed consent, however, are grounded in a Western ethical tradition that foregrounds the individual’s rights to autonomy and bodily integrity. This study aimed to explore whether the basic elements of informed consent—information disclosure, comprehension, voluntariness, and agreement—are observed in traditional medicine practice in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with eight traditional healers—four <i>nyanga</i> and four <i>sangoma</i>, and thematic content analysis was applied to the transcribed and translated data. Four major themes emerged from this analysis: 1) the practice of traditional medicine in KwaZulu-Natal; 2) the importance and amount of information disclosure by traditional healers; 3) methods used to obtain consent or agreement from patients and the voluntariness of this process; 4) the benefits of and barriers to obtaining informed consent in African traditional medicine. The study found that African traditional healers do indeed disclose information on diagnosis, risks, benefits, and treatment options to their patients.</p>

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Traditional Healthcare Practitioners’ Views on Informed Consent in African Traditional Medicine: A Qualitative Study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月11日

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  • F. F. Akpa-Inyang

摘要

African traditional medicine provides treatment for various illnesses and is widely used across Africa since it is readily available and affordable. Concepts of informed consent, however, are grounded in a Western ethical tradition that foregrounds the individual’s rights to autonomy and bodily integrity. This study aimed to explore whether the basic elements of informed consent—information disclosure, comprehension, voluntariness, and agreement—are observed in traditional medicine practice in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with eight traditional healers—four nyanga and four sangoma, and thematic content analysis was applied to the transcribed and translated data. Four major themes emerged from this analysis: 1) the practice of traditional medicine in KwaZulu-Natal; 2) the importance and amount of information disclosure by traditional healers; 3) methods used to obtain consent or agreement from patients and the voluntariness of this process; 4) the benefits of and barriers to obtaining informed consent in African traditional medicine. The study found that African traditional healers do indeed disclose information on diagnosis, risks, benefits, and treatment options to their patients.