Traditional Healers 

Several research projects at ICEH have assessed the impact of traditional healers in eye medicine.

In low-resource settings, access to modern healthcare can be limited due to income, transportation challenges and gaps in the local healthcare system. People instead often initially use home remedies and/or seek care from traditional healers.

A study in Uganda found a strong association with the use of traditional eye medicine and microbial keratitis, suggesting that traditional practices increase the likelihood of developing the condition. This is likely through applying products directly to the eye, causing further scratching, scarring and infections.

Research in Nepal surveyed 109 traditional healers over nine months, revealing that healers believed infections can be caused by a curse or witchcraft, and often rubbed infected eyes with a herb, which can cause further damage and blindness. The study also showed however that healers were open to being trained in modern eye health care, potentially improving care for patients by becoming referrers to the main health system.

Publications

Arunga S, Asiimwe A, Apio Olet E, Kagoro-Rugunda G, Ayebazibwe B, Onyango J, Newton R, Leck A, Macleod D, Hu VH, Seeley J, Burton MJ. Traditional eye medicine use in microbial keratitis in Uganda: a mixed methods study. Wellcome Open Res. 2019 Oct. 4;4:89. https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.15259.2

Das Sanyam S, Yadav R, H. A. Mohamed Ahmed A et al. Role of traditional healers in the management of microbial keratitis in eastern Nepal. Wellcome Open Res 2024, 9:295 https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.21241.2