Involving African traditional health practitioners in HIV/ AIDS interventions.

Nine THPs were involved, working with 5 HOPE community health workers (CHWs). The scheme commenced with 6 weeks’ training in biomedical understanding of HIV/ AIDS and its treatment at Tygerberg Academic Hospital. Possibly harmful interactions between some traditional remedies and ARVs were emphasised;2 the THPs were also counselled against invasive treatments for clients with depleted immune systems. The AIDS Training Information and Counselling Centre (ATICC) then supervised 4 weeks of VCT training and accredited the THPs as counsellors. To monitor successful referrals, the THPs use referral forms and maintain a client register.