Paper short abstract:

Using ethnographic method this paper explores the role of traditional healers in mycetoma management in a Sudanese village. Contrary to the general believe the study finds traditional healers play a major disease-management role for mycetoma.

Paper long abstract:

Background:

A large sector of the Sudanese population uses traditional medicine to meet their primary health care needs. This article explores Wad Elnimear villager perspective toward mycetoma. The village is in the southeast of Sudan and constitutes one of the largest endemic areas of the regions predominantly affected by mycetoma.

Methodology:

Data was collected through ethnography. This was combined with in-depth individual interviews and focus group discussions to explore participants' perspectives, perceptions and experiences.

Results

Most of the individuals who had mycetoma visit a tradition healer as a first encounter in the management. The majority of the mycetoma patients dealt with traditional healers during one or more stage of the disease, some of those patients visited more than one healer some of them reported visiting a traditional healer even after visiting a clinical doctor. Patients’ decisions to seek care from both traditional healers and from biomedical health facilities was associated with dissatisfaction regarding the outcomes of the specific treatment modalities. Most of these patients reported trying every management modality.

Conclusion

Traditional healers play a major role in managing/treating people who encounter mycetoma. Lack of qualitative data on the use of traditional medicine in mycetoma has led researchers and policymakers to rely on uncertain estimates. This article contributes to filling in this knowledge gap that surrounds the role of traditional healers in mycetoma treatment in Sudan by showing more depth that traditional healers are a major disease-management and treatment option for rural and peri-urban populations.