While modern medicine has made significant advancements, it remains out of reach for many communities due to geographic inaccessibility, high costs, and cultural barriers. Traditional healers, on the other hand, are deeply embedded within these communities, offering immediate and affordable healthcare solutions. Whether it is a Dai (traditional midwife) assisting in childbirth, a Baiga healer treating snakebites, or an Ojha performing spiritual healing rituals for fever, these practitioners provide essential services where formal healthcare often cannot.
Despite their critical role in healthcare access, traditional healing practices are increasingly under threat due to legal restrictions, loss of knowledge transmission, and modernization. Rather than dismissing them, it is essential to recognize their contributions, integrate them into public health systems, and ensure that their practices are made safer and more effective for the communities they serve.
Why Do Traditional Healers Remain the First Choice for Many?
- Accessibility – For millions in rural India, modern healthcare facilities are often out of reach. Hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) are located miles away, with little to no reliable transport or ambulance services. In such areas, traditional healers become the first and, in many cases, the only available caregivers.
In the tribal belts of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, forest-dwelling communities rely on local herbalists (Vaids or Gunis) for immediate treatment of fevers, injuries, and infections. Similarly, in Maharashtra’s Bhandardara region, despite the presence of PHCs, people still turn to traditional snakebite healers because PHCs often lack anti-snake venom, making healers a more practical and accessible choice.
- Cultural Trust and Familiarity – Traditional healers hold a significant place within their communities, not just as healthcare providers but also as spiritual and social leaders. Their practices are deeply embedded in local traditions and belief systems, making their treatments more acceptable and trustworthy.
Many tribal and rural populations attribute illnesses to supernatural forces, ancestral displeasure, or energy imbalances. Faith healers (Ojhas, Shamans, or Pujaris) address these concerns alongside physical treatments, offering psychological comfort and social reassurance. In maternal care, traditional midwives (Dais) offer a personalized, culturally familiar approach, which feels safer and less intimidating for expectant mothers.
- Affordability – Unlike modern healthcare, which often comes with high consultation fees, transport costs, and expensive medicines, traditional healers provide treatment at little to no cost. Many accept payments in kind—such as grains, vegetables, or small services—making their care accessible to even the poorest families.
In Madhya Pradesh, Baiga healers use locally available herbs to treat fevers, wounds, and infections, reducing reliance on costly pharmaceutical medicines. Similarly, in rural Odisha, traditional bone setters offer fracture treatments at a fraction of the cost of orthopedic clinics, making healthcare more affordable for those unable to pay hospital fees.
- Speed of Treatment – While hospitals require travel, waiting periods, and formal procedures, traditional healers provide immediate care without delays. This speed of treatment can be critical, especially for illnesses like malaria, where early intervention can be life-saving.
In remote villages, people often consult pujaris first for fever treatment, sometimes delaying hospital visits by days or even weeks. To address this, programs like SEARCH in Gadchiroli have trained traditional healers to recognize malaria symptoms, distribute anti-malarial tablets, and encourage timely medical intervention. This approach combines traditional practices with modern medical awareness, ensuring faster and more effective treatment for rural populations.
Key Traditional Health Practices and Their Role in Public Health
Traditional Birth Attendants (Dais) and Maternal Health
In many rural and tribal regions, Traditional Birth Attendants (Dais) are the primary caregivers for pregnant women, assisting with childbirth, postpartum care, and lactation support.
In Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, Dais provide continuous maternal care, offering more personalized attention than often understaffed government hospitals. Training programs integrating safe delivery techniques with traditional knowledge have successfully reduced infant and maternal mortality, improving healthcare access in remote areas.
Herbal Medicine and Indigenous Healing Systems
Traditional healers use locally available plants, roots, and minerals to treat common ailments such as fevers, stomach disorders, wounds, and chronic diseases. Ethnobotanical studies confirm the medicinal properties of many of these remedies, but their practice is declining due to deforestation and loss of traditional knowledge.
In Madhya Pradesh, Baiga healers specialize in herbal wound healing, while Siddha practitioners in Tamil Nadu prepare formulations for diabetes and arthritis. Recognizing their significance, institutions like the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) are working to document and scientifically validate these indigenous treatments, ensuring their preservation.
Mental Health and Faith-Based Healing
In communities with limited mental health awareness, faith healers play a crucial role in addressing psychosomatic illnesses, anxiety, and epilepsy. Their methods offer psychological comfort and social acceptance, making them a trusted resource for individuals hesitant to seek medical help.
In Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, mental health programs have successfully engaged faith healers to identify psychiatric cases and refer patients for medical treatment, while allowing spiritual healing practices to continue alongside. This integrated approach has helped bridge the gap between traditional beliefs and modern psychiatric care, ensuring more people receive the support they need.
Preserving and Strengthening Traditional Health Skills
- Integrating Traditional Healers into Public Health Systems – Rather than replacing traditional healers, governments can train and certify them to enhance their safety and effectiveness. Programs should focus on:
- Basic medical education on hygiene, infection control, and referral protocols.
- Collaboration between traditional healers and PHCs, ensuring that when severe cases arise, healers encourage hospital visits instead of delaying treatment.
- Research and Documentation
- Scientific validation of herbal medicines and indigenous treatments to integrate them into AYUSH healthcare.
- Digital documentation of tribal medicine to ensure knowledge is preserved for future generations.
A Hybrid Approach to Healthcare Access
Traditional healers remain the first and most accessible health providers for millions in India. Their role should not be dismissed but enhanced through training, research, and structured integration into national health programs. By recognizing their strengths and ensuring safer practices, India can create a hybrid healthcare model that blends traditional and modern medicine, ultimately improving health outcomes for underserved populations.
Preserving traditional health skills is not just about cultural heritage—it is about ensuring that no one is left without healthcare due to distance, cost, or lack of availability.
