Abstract:

Background: Several studies have documented the increase of traditional health practitioner (THP) and it is estimated that 80% of the rural people especially in developing countries including Tanzania use Traditional medicine. Tanzania Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act (2002) require Traditional health practitioners to refer patients in case they fail to treat to formal health facilities to prevent complications and sometimes death.

Aim: The aim sectional was to find out the barriers of THP to refer their patients to formal health facilities in Magu District.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted with a convenient sample of 117 registered THPs in Magu District Council. Data were collected from consenting registered THP using pretested structured questionnaire with both open and closed ended questions. Analysis was done using STATA version 11.0 software according the study objectives.

Results: Of 117 THPs recruited in this study, males were 73(62.4%) and the overall median age (Interquartile range) was 46 (36-60) years. It was found that only 39.3% (46/117) of THPs referred their patients to formal health facilities. The majority 66.7% (78/117) were found not knowledgeable and 60.7% (71/117) had negative attitude towards the referral system to formal health facilities. THPs who sought help from medical practitioners (p-value<0.001), willing to share knowledge with medical practitioners (p-value<0.001), knew the Traditional and alternative medicine act (p-value = 0.008); knew the importance of referring their patients (p<0.001) and those with positive attitude towards referring their patients to formal health facilities (p-value<0.001) were significantly more likely to refer their patients as opposed to the counterparts.

Conclusion: Patients referral from THPs to formal health facilities still low as only 39.3% of THPs in Magu District Council referred their patients. The factors which hinder THPs from referring patients were unawareness of the referral system, unawareness of the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 2002, never attending seminars/workshops and negative attitude towards referral and the importance of using formal health facilities.