Legitimising traditional healers

They often address specific health needs that official healthcare providers cannot meet.

Traditional healers are the primary source of care for the socio-economically poor. Many rural people rely on traditional healers for a variety of health issues. It is not uncommon for people to seek treatment from local traditional healers before taking recourse to distant health facilities. In some cases, they may even bypass local health facilities to see distant healers. I remember a man from a rural neighbourhood who fell from a tree and broke his arm while cutting twigs for his goats. He went to see a distant healer. When I asked why he chose a vaidya over a hospital, he replied, “I barely had Rs1,200. How could I visit a hospital with so less money?”