South African Witchdoctors: AIDS Vector

In a health story that reads more like a personal interest story, I picked up a new bit of information on how traditional healers in South Africa are physically responsible for the spread of AIDS, instead of just the usual cultural divide anecdotes that are spread around: unsanitary cutting practices.

The training helped [Miriam Tembe] with the practice of scarring a patient then rubbing herbs or powder into the wound: "I used to use one razor for five people -- I used to kill people," she added.

I used to think that scaring people about condom use and encouraging the practice of raping virgins was bad enough, but these witchdoctors were actively spreading a blood-borne disease. The education program the Reuters story describes should have started many years ago.