Addition of whether the case received care from a traditional healer

[sadiekelly]

Whether the case received care from a traditional healer is captured on the T0 outbreak form and several other disease specific toolkits including ebola/marburg and the generic respiratory case report form.
Response options Y/N/U.

[aimeehan1]

Traditional medicine/ healers are such an interesting part of an outbreak narrative, community attitudes and behaviors affect spread. Response is tied to community engagement and risk communication. It's important to raise awareness without raising fear and stigma.

We saw this narrative play out for Ebola and Marburg.
A man who was exposed to the virus in Mubende district fled and spread the disease to [Kampala].(https://bnonews.com/index.php/2022/10/ugandas-capital-reports-first-ebola-death/), the capital city. "A man who fled from health workers after being exposed to Ebola in central Uganda has died after going to a hospital in Kampala, local officials say, making it the first case and death in the capital city. The man from Mubende, the epicenter of the outbreak, had previously been identified for possible exposure to Ebola but decided to run away while using a fake name. He then sought help from a traditional healer in another region. The man eventually went to Kiruddu National Referral Hospital in the capital city, Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said at a press conference. At this point he was already seriously ill and doctors were aware of his potential exposure to Ebola."

We also saw the impact of traditional practices, tied to traditional healers, impact spread. Traditional burial practices, including the washing and anointing of corpses, have contributed significantly to the spread of Ebola in outbreaks.

Healers are referenced in the media by different names, e.g. witchdoctors.

https://globaldothealth.substack.com/p/tracking-the-2022-ebola-outbreak