DAR ES SALAAM — Tanzania’s traditional medicine authority has announced a crackdown on unregistered traditional healers across the east African nation, a statement by the health ministry said late Wednesday.
Hamisi Malebo, the chairperson of the Council for Traditional and Alternative Medicines, said unregistered traditional healers that will be identified during the crackdown will be dealt with according to laws governing traditional and alternative medicines, said the statement.
The statement quoted Malebo as saying that the crackdown is aimed at protecting the health of Tanzanians who are desperate to get such medical services.
Malebo told members of the Council for Traditional and Alternative Medicines and journalists that no unregistered traditional healer will be spared during the crackdown.
Malebo said an unregistered traditional healer would be fined 500,000 Tanzanian shillings (about 215 U.S. dollars) or face a two-year jail term or both.
