The Sunday Mail
Religion Writer
THE Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association (Zinatha) has begun the registration for a six months course in African Traditional Medicine.
Zinatha will run the programme in partnership with the University of Zimbabwe’s Department of Religious Studies, Classics and Philosophy.
The school was founded in 1998 by the late Professor Gordon Chavhunduka and is registered under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education.
Zinatha national education secretary, Mr Prince Mutandi Sibanda, said the course has commenced at a time when traditional medicine is increasingly gaining value and recognition around the world.
He said registration started on March 3 and will be closed on March 7 while classes will start on March 10, 2017.
“We will have day, evening and weekend classes, and the modules will include Introduction to African Traditional Religion, Themes in African Traditional Religion and culture, and the practical application.
“Practicals will include visiting healing practitioners, surgeries, herbalists, bonesetters, ritual ceremonies, diviners, spirit mediums and others,” said Mr Sibanda.
He added that anyone can enrol for the programme.
“We will only look at one’s ability to read and write, but that again does not disqualify people who have the wish to study and understand ATR.”
He said the primary objective of the programme is to provide awareness and understanding of skills for effective treatment using traditional medicine as well as to encourage co-operation between traditional healing, bio-medicine and faith healing.
“Through this programme, we seek to uphold the importance of indigenous religious and cultural spiritual world views in attainment of holistic healing.
“Graduates will either be herbalists or midwives but most importantly they will gain knowledge of ATR,” he said.
Professor Tabona Shoko, who is in the University of Zimbabwe’s Department of Religious Studies, Classics and Philosophy said the introduction of the course by Zinatha provides an opportunity for possible partnership between the University and the school through joint research. “The partnership can transform the school’s vision of teaching for a Certificate to a Diploma qualification. This relationship can also lead to establishment of a Centre for Traditional Medicine Research in Zimbabwe,” Prof Shoko said.
