By Flata Kavinga
The Zimbabwe National Practitioners Association (ZINPA) has embarked on an outreach programme to encourage traditional healers to register and obtain practising certificates in order to operate legally.
Speaking to this publication on the sidelines of a registration awareness campaign in Kwekwe, ZINPA President’s Personal Assistant, Itayi Chisoro, said many traditional healers have been arrested or jailed for operating without the required documents.
“We are encouraging traditional healers to register with us and obtain practising certificates allowing them to attend to the sick and offer traditional medicine,” she said.
Chisoro noted that the government introduced the registration requirement to safeguard both practitioners and the public by recognising legitimate traditional healers.
“We appeal to all traditional healers to be registered so that they have a mandate to carry out their work within the law,” she said.
She added that some healers and prophets remain ignorant of the requirement, which has led to serious consequences.
“In some cases, victims die at shrines in the hands of prophets who are not registered to treat patients. Others have been jailed for offences including rape,” Chisoro said.
ZINPA says it is conducting awareness campaigns and workshops, including in remote areas, to ensure that all practitioners understand the need to register and operate within the confines of the law.
