Herbalists in Dedza district have asked media houses in the country to vet any advert from traditional healers saying some adverts are perpetrating attacks on people with albinism.
The herbalists made the appeal during an interface meeting organized by police headquarters under community policing branch held at LEA Teachers Trading Center (TDC) hall in Dedza.
Vice president of Malawi traditional healers, Beatrice Kaluwa, blamed herbalists coming from other countries to be the ones making adverts on radios tricking people that some body parts have capability of bringing fortunes such as wealth.
Kalua then indicated that their grouping is guided by code of conduct and that any member who will violate their laws will face the laws.
“Such adverts could possibly bring temptation to people to commit evil acts.
“We hear them in various media institutions and we wonder why media houses are not gate-keeping them on basis that this has capacity of infringing the security of people with albinism,” stressed Kaluwa.
Kaluwa then advised the general public to be careful with those who advertise about wealth and has said a genuine herbalist does not use human body parts in their medicine.
On his part, Dedza police officer in-charge George Tobias Chikhungu, warned the herbalists about the tendency of mentioning the names of people in relation to their client’s illness claiming it has in the past fueled cases of mob justice in the district.
Chairperson of APAM Dedza chapter, Halison Elisa thanked Malawi government for coming up with initiative which he said will definitely end the myths surrounding attacks of people with albinism.
Engagements with traditional healers, is the police headquarters’ initiative which is aimed at bringing stakeholders together to ensure that people with albinism in the country have full protection.
