Traditional Healers and Modern Pratitioners Together Against AIDS (THETA)

THETA is a Ugandan NGO initiated through a partnership between The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO) Uganda Ltd and Medicines Sans Frontieres an international humanitarian organisation, . It began in 1992 in Kampala as a collaborative clinical study with traditional healers evaluating the effectiveness of local herbal treatments for selected AIDS-related diseases. The success of this initiative transformed the project into an organisation working with traditional healers (THs) in HIV/AIDS education, counselling and improved patient care. THETA is a mutually respectful collaboration between THs and Biomedical Health Practitioners (BHPs) in the fight against AIDS and other diseases.

THETA’s Mission:

“Towards improved health care and health promotion in partnership with traditional healing systems, biomedicine and the larger community”.
THETA is committed to promoting traditional medicine to complement modern healthcare services, and to working with THs as health educators and counsellors for sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV) and other diseases. We believe that THETA can provide a model of sustainable disease prevention and health care for AIDS and other diseases using local resources and a culturally relevant approach.
As an organisation, THETA is led by a Board of Trustees (BOT) that is accountable to the General Assembly, which comprises of those who subscribe to THETA’s objectives. The Director is appointed by the BOT and is assisted by the Programme Co-ordinator together with the heads of departments who manage the programme and support activities.

Our programs include:

• Community Mobilisation and Training;
• Traditional Medicine care;
• Clinical research ;
• Material collection building and documentation;
• Monitoring and Evaluation;

THETA’s PHILOSOPHY

THETA’s recognizes traditional healers as a vital resource in community health care. As in many other African countries, healers vastly outnumber biomedical workers in Uganda. As indigenous resource persons, healers command respect and are unique knowledge that can positively influence protective health behavior. Their work and responsibilities are self-sustaining. Some of their herbs are potentially effective and affordable alternatives for the treatment of HIV and other diseases, including some of those occurring as a result of AIDS. It is on the basis of this philosophy that THETA fosters collaboration between biomedical health practitioners and traditional healers in health care provision, prevention and research.

ACTIVITIES

1. Working with traditional healers (THs) as community counsellors and educators on sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) in 8 districts of Uganda.
2. Training of traditional healers as trainers in district outreaches.
3. Exchanging information through a Resource Center created in 1995 for research, documentation, and dissemination of information on traditional medicine and AIDS.
4. Standardisation and development of useful herbal treatments for HIV/AIDS associated infections
5. Advocacy for traditional healing systems.
6. Coordinating a Task Force on Traditional Medicine and HIV/AIDS in East and Southern Africa for which THETA acts as a Secretariat, the task force is spearheading a Regional Initiative to undertake development and follow-up of collaborative research and prevention protocol to be implemented in the region.
7. Building a referral system between biomedical workers and traditional healers

ACHIEVEMENTS

1. A study on herbal treatments for Herpes Zoster and chronic diarrhea showed significant clinical improvement in patients on herbal treatments, comparable to, and in some instances better than those on available modern medicines.
2. Training of traditional healers as AIDS educators, care givers, and counsellors has expanded from Kampala District to 7 districts in Uganda namely; Mukono, Katakwi, Mbarara, Kiboga, Kamuli, Hoima and Apac.
3. More than 1,000 healers have been reached, of which 400 have undergone an 18 months training. More than 300 of those trained have been certified, including 83 who have been trained as trainers of other healers. As a result, more than 1,000,000 persons have benefited from the improved services provided by the collaborating traditional healers.
4. The Resource Centre for Traditional Medicine and HIV/AIDS at the THETA offices facilitates experience sharing and documentation through library services, speakers’ bureau sessions and newsletter publications.
5. 9 Traditional Healers, Associations involved in AIDS care and prevention and seven patient support groups have been initiated by traditional healers, as a result of the collaboration with THETA.
   These initiatives have contributed to enhanced HIV/AIDS education, stigma reduction and support in rural communities in Uganda.
6. THETA offers training services to other organisations, and has so far assisted 6 NGOs in Uganda (ACORD, CONCERN, Medicine Sans Frontieres, African Humanitarian Action, Health Need Uganda and Medecins Du Monde).
7. A demonstration herbal garden with over 80 species of potentially useful herbs in the treatment of diseases associated with HIV/AIDS has been established at Bujuuko, Mpigi district.
8. A demonstration laboratory for herbal processing, standardization and packaging of useful herbs has been set up at THETA offices.

 THETA Publications Include :

• Better Living for Ugandan Women in the Time of AIDS, a booklet written for and by women (1994 edition)
• THETA STDs and AIDS Training Kit in Luganda and English. (1994 edition)
• An article on the Herpes Zoster study has been published in the Dec. 1999 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol 5, no 6, p. 553-565.
• THETA News, a Bi annual publication which has a circulation of over 1000 (national and international).
• Several scientific abstracts and papers about specific aspects of our work.
• We have contributed to key publications for the UNAIDS Best Practice series,to Strategies for Hope series, and to several conference papers and Journal articles.
• Various curricular and training manuals.
• THETA has produced two videos in Luganda and English for educational use.

FUTURE PLANS

In the next five years, we see THETA developing in 5 directions:

• Strengthening THETA’s approach to partnership building capacities for more effective promotion and scaling up of THETA’s core mission of collaboration between biomedicine and traditional medicine for better health.
• Continuing to promote the recognition and support of THs/TM as key elements in the health sector with emphasis on health promotion, research and improving traditional healing practices.
• Strengthening the Regional Initiative to develop and expand research on Traditional Medicine and HIV/AIDS.
• Improving THETA’s information system to better support programme decision making, research & monitoring and evaluation.
• Strengthening training and capacity building functions through existing structures, and mobilisation of new resources.
• Establishing a functional information management system for production and dissemination of user-friendly information and materials on TM and other health related issues to stakeholders.

THETA has enjoyed the moral support and financial support of the government of Uganda through the Uganda AIDS Commission and Ministry of Health. The initial support from TASO and MSF were vital for the initiation of the programme. THETA has also received financial support from the Rockefeller Foundation, Pro-Victimis Foundation, UNAIDS, the European Commission, EmPower, and the American Jewish World Service, DANIDA, DFID among others.

Contact information

Plot 724/5 Mawanda Road,
Kamwokya-Kampala.
Tel: (256-41) 530619/532930.
Fax: (256-41) 530619.
Email: theta@imul.com