The role of culture in primary health care. Two case studies.

The purpose of this article is to show the importance of traditional healers in primary health care (PHC) services. Most countries, despite adopting PHC, have not incorporated traditional healers into this service. The article also illustrates how traditional healers fulfil three of Morrell's four PHC objectives, and how incorporating traditional healers into health services will fulfil the fourth objective. The first contact between a black African patient and health care services usually takes place in the traditional healing system. Therefore health workers should realise that the traditional care system is important if PHC is to succeed. Traditional healers are the most important primary health care service in an African setting. This is highlighted by 2 cases described in the article.