News / Health
Bogus 'foreign doctors' on the prowl in Zimbabwe
01 Nov 2015 at 04:58hrs | Views
A new band of "foreign" traditional healers and herbalists has emerged in Harare, promising to help residents find lost lovers, heal incurable diseases and turn economic fortunes of the poor.
The con artistes, mostly from Malawi, advertise their services in national newspapers and through flyers pasted on trees or street lights.
However, Zimbabwe National Healers Association (Zinatha) spokesperson George Kandiero believes most of the "foreign" healers and herbalists that advertise their services are actually locals trying to hoodwink desperate Zimbabweans.
"We suspect that some of these so-called 'doctors' are Zimbabweans who have mastered foreign accents," Kandiero said.
One 'doctor's' flier listed about 20 different challenges and ailments which he claimed to cure.
Among the alleged specialties was the ability to make the female reproductive organs tighter and enlarging or strengthening of the male ones.
There was also mention of finding marriage partners in a few days, the ability to protect people from supernatural powers and reviving failing businesses.
The "doctor" also claims to be a "fortune teller and palm reader", to provide "Zam AZM water for bad luck", herbs to enable one to "get to know your enemies", for barren women to conceive, to bring back lost lovers, to "get your lover to give you everything", to "know your lover's secrets" to "break up with an unwanted partner", to "get promotion at work and job security" and to "influence court case outcomes".
Meanwhile, Kandiero believes Zimbabweans are being taken for a ride because "people have become too desperate and are easily hoodwinked by these thieves."
"Anyone who claims to be a herbalist or traditional healer should have a licence from the Traditional Medicines Practitioners Council of the Health ministry," said Kandiero.
"These people are criminals who are taking advantage of desperate people. We have a serious problem."
Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe spokesperson Richard Rukwata said anyone who claimed to be herbalist should be registered.
"This is a simple legal matter that requires that everyone who claims to be a herbalist or such should have a licence and needs to be registered with TMPC," he said.
Kandiero said police should move in to arrest the scourge, which he said was getting out of hand.
The con artistes, mostly from Malawi, advertise their services in national newspapers and through flyers pasted on trees or street lights.
However, Zimbabwe National Healers Association (Zinatha) spokesperson George Kandiero believes most of the "foreign" healers and herbalists that advertise their services are actually locals trying to hoodwink desperate Zimbabweans.
"We suspect that some of these so-called 'doctors' are Zimbabweans who have mastered foreign accents," Kandiero said.
One 'doctor's' flier listed about 20 different challenges and ailments which he claimed to cure.
Among the alleged specialties was the ability to make the female reproductive organs tighter and enlarging or strengthening of the male ones.
There was also mention of finding marriage partners in a few days, the ability to protect people from supernatural powers and reviving failing businesses.
The "doctor" also claims to be a "fortune teller and palm reader", to provide "Zam AZM water for bad luck", herbs to enable one to "get to know your enemies", for barren women to conceive, to bring back lost lovers, to "get your lover to give you everything", to "know your lover's secrets" to "break up with an unwanted partner", to "get promotion at work and job security" and to "influence court case outcomes".
Meanwhile, Kandiero believes Zimbabweans are being taken for a ride because "people have become too desperate and are easily hoodwinked by these thieves."
"Anyone who claims to be a herbalist or traditional healer should have a licence from the Traditional Medicines Practitioners Council of the Health ministry," said Kandiero.
"These people are criminals who are taking advantage of desperate people. We have a serious problem."
Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe spokesperson Richard Rukwata said anyone who claimed to be herbalist should be registered.
"This is a simple legal matter that requires that everyone who claims to be a herbalist or such should have a licence and needs to be registered with TMPC," he said.
Kandiero said police should move in to arrest the scourge, which he said was getting out of hand.
Source - the standard
