An overview of the history and development of naturopathy in South Africa
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS
Abstract
BACKGROUND: A huge growth in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) took place in
South Africa in the 1960s which paralleled what was happening in other parts of the western
world. Naturopathy has been practised in South Africa for over 60 years, and the history of
naturopathy is entwined with the broader history of CAM. No laws existed at that stage to
regulate the curriculum, education and training of CAM practitioners. With the passage of
time, various statutes were introduced which eventually led to changes in legislation and the
establishment of a recognised training programme. Naturopathy became a legally regulated
profession, the full history of which has never been documented.
OBJECTIVE: This article explores the history of naturopathy in South Africa.
METHOD: A two-phase qualitative research design was used, consisting of a document search
and semi-structured interviews with key informants who were identified through a process of
snowballing. Information collected from the naturopaths who participated in the interviews
was triangulated with documentation uncovered in the archives of the Allied Health
Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA) and other literature available.
RESULTS: The result is a history of events which took place and reveals the effect of various
legislations on the profession.
CONCLUSION: Changes in the political system paved the way for changes in legislation which
allowed for the registration and training of naturopathic practitioners. However, the lack of a
functioning association and the small number of naturopathic graduates have hampered the
growth of the profession, preventing it from becoming a significant contributor to the health
care system.
Description
Keywords
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), South Africa, Naturopathy, History
Citation
Ericksen-Pereira, W.G. et al. (2018). An overview of the history and development of naturopathy in South Africa. Health SA Gesondheid, 23(0): a1078.