The Ethics and Legality of Traditional Healers Performing HIV Testing (Opinion‪)‬

It has been estimated that South Africa is home to more than 200 000 traditional health practitioners (THPs) and that such persons are consulted by more than 70% of the country's population. (1) Given this situation, UNAIDS has recognised that THPs can play an important role in HIV/ AIDS treatment programmes, (2) and attempts have been made to integrate THPs into tuberculosis treatment (3) and HIV/AIDS (4,5) prevention programmes in South Africa. In respect of the latter, THPs in Inanda, Durban, for example, have attended formal training on HIV rapid testing which reportedly has resulted in the healers referring family members and subsequently clients for HIV testing and counselling. (2) Despite receiving such training, the THPs do not seem to carry out HIV rapid testing themselves. This may be due to uncertainty about the legal and ethical implications of THPs conducting HIV testing. WHO MAY PERFORM HIV TESTING--INTERNATIONAL GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS