The role of indigenous healers in treating surgical conditions in the rural Eastern Cape of South Africa.

Background: Indigenous knowledge healers (IKHs) provide alternative healthcare to formal health services in rural South Africa, but there is a gap in knowledge regarding their treatment of surgical conditions. This study evaluated IKH surgical care and described their perspective of the dual health system.

Methods: A cross sectional survey of IKHs in the Madwaleni Hospital catchment of the Eastern Cape, South Africa was conducted.

The black hole of dealing with a disability diagnosis: Views of South African rural parents.

Background: Lack of support systems in the management of health and rehabilitation related problems, including the stigma of giving birth to a child with disability, results in some parents ignoring the doctor's prognosis of lifelong disability.

Objectives: The study was conducted in the Eastern Cape province (ECP) of South Africa (SA) on parents' views in caring for children with disability in an area with minimal health facilities in a rural setting.

Method: Data was collected using exploratory descriptive qualitative methods.