Table 3 Perceived treatment options for locally defined conditions in four African settings
From: Madness or sadness? Local concepts of mental illness in four conflict-affected African communities
| Â | Traditional healers | Health care facilities | Family and community interventions |
|---|---|---|---|
Kwajena (South Sudan) | Â | Â | Â |
Moul | Visit ruedbedho (‘spear master’) to chase spirits away | Health centre in case malaria is cause |  |
Ngadeyeadh (herbalist) who can give herbs | Â | Â | |
Wehie Arir | Visit ruodbedho (‘spear master’) to understand the cause | Health centre (medicine to calm patient down) | Try to replace the things or persons he has lost |
| Â | Medicines if caused by malaria | Relatives or elders in community should talk to person | |
| Â | Â | Pray in the church together with the patient | |
| Â | Â | Prevent person from drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis | |
Nger yec | Â | Â | Relatives or elders in community should talk to person and give advice to overcome the sadness |
| Â | Â | Compensate person for the losses he suffered | |
| Â | Â | Invite the person to come to your house | |
Yei (South Sudan) | Â | Â | Â |
Mamali | Visit a buni (traditional soothsayer) to find out the cause and perform rituals to chase away the spiritual forces | Â | Praying to calm down a patient |
Ngengere | Some healers have herbs to calm person down | Â | Â |
Yeyeesi | Â | Â | Family or religious leader talk with the person and give him advice |
| Â | Â | The family and neighbours should also help the patient not to be alone and to involve him in activities, in particular those that can give him income | |
| Â | Â | Elders from the church can visit the person and pray together. | |
Butembo (DRC) | Â | Â | Â |
Erisire | Mukumu (traditional healers who work with spirits), if there are supernatural causes | Visit a health facility to check if there is malaria or another physical cause | Â |
Musaki (herbal healers) for herbal medicine | Visit mental health centre in town | Â | |
Christian pastors who can pray with the patient | Â | Â | |
In case of possession by ancestral spirits, one should construct a vuhima, a small house for the ancestors | Â | Â | |
Alluhire | Â | Â | Provide him money, goods or work |
| Â | Â | Visit the person | |
| Â | Â | Pray with the person | |
| Â | Â | Ensure that the person is not alone. | |
| Â | Â | Involve him in communal work in the village | |
Kibuye (Burundi) | Â | Â | Â |
Ibisazi | In case of sorcery: traditional healer | Provincial hospital | Â |
In case of bad spirits: praying and rituals in the church (three groups) | Â | Â | |
Ibonge | Â | Â | Family and try to comfort person |
| Â | Â | Encourage person to talk about his problems | |
| Â | Â | Replace the loss | |
Ihahamuka | Â | Â | Family to listen to the person |
| Â | Â | Family and friends should help the person to do the things he is afraid of |