The Sunday Mail
Tendai Chara
TRADITIONAL and faith healers have called upon Zimbabweans to change their social behaviour and religious beliefs as a way of fighting the coronavirus.
The calls, which came at a time when the country is experiencing daily spikes in Covid-19 infections, were made during a two-day training workshop whose aim was to capacitate traditional and faith healers in their fight against Covid-19.
The workshop also sought to debunk some of the social and religious myths that are associated with the coronavirus.
More than 30 traditional healers, herbalists, faith healers and traditional birth attendants participated.
The workshop was organised by the Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association (ZINPA) in association with the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
ZINPA is an association which represents the interests of traditional healers, herbalists, birth attendants and faith healers.
Sekuru Friday Chisanyu, the ZINPA president, said there is need for Zimbabweans to change their behaviour and religious beliefs in light of the coronavirus scourge.
“During these trying times, we are having people who still believe that if a close relative has died, there is need for friends and relatives to hug or shake hands with the deceased’s close relative as a way of showing solidarity.”
“We are also having people who still tie the coronavirus to avenging spirits and mental illnesses, among other things. There is need for behaviour change if we are to end this scourge,” Sekuru Chisanyu said.
Among the keynote speakers were Dr David Parirenyatwa, the former Minister of Health and Child Welfare.
Epidemiologists, health statisticians and officials from the Directorate of Traditional Medicine in the Ministry of Health and Child Care also presented papers.
