Paper short abstract:

Despite the massive roll-out of antiretroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS patients continue to flexibly navigate the diverse therapeutic landscape on the search for a cure. This paper examines the articulation between biomedical therapy and religious healing practices in the context of an ambiguous national biopolitical agenda.

Paper long abstract:

In early March 2011 first Tanzanian newspapers featured reports on an herbal "miracle cure" for HIV/AIDS and other major chronic diseases. Hundreds of thousands have since flocked to receive the 'magic cup' from a retired Lutheran pastor who claims to act according to Godly instructions. Many have ceased to take their biomedical medications after supposedly being cured. The close entanglement of religious faith and scientific evidence in the form of the 'magic cup' has triggered a heated discussion among a plethora of stakeholders ranging from governmental and scientific bodies, religious leaders of various denominations to skeptical or approving Tanzanian citizens. Originating from this discussion on a national scale, this contribution localizes the conceptualization of distinguishable and interconnected healing domains (biomedical, herbal and spiritual/religious) in the experiences of HIV-positive people and traditional medical practitioners in urban Tanga. Despite the massive roll-out of antiretroviral treatment and respective efforts to promote it as the only effective remedy, patients continue to flexibly navigate the diverse therapeutic landscape on the search for a cure. It is argued that a more thorough scrutiny of the articulation between antiretroviral treatment and religious promises of healing is just as necessary as a closer examination of traditional healers' endeavors to develop medications against HIV/AIDS in order to fully understand patients' strategies to cope with the disease and their decisions to stop taking their "hospital medicine".